Bonesology Summer 2015 Hiatus Micro Fic Challenge
by Dukefan1982
Summary: This is my stab at the Bonesology summer hiatus 2015 Microfic Challenge. I post at Bonesology under my other SN Sbweb. I also usually post 1 to 4 of these a day so be warned. Some of these are over 300 words. These are mostly family moments while Booth & Brennan raise their four children. I'm continuing this with the other list of 100 words
1. Chapter 1 Finger

Brennan was cleaning the kitchen when she heard a scream coming from Christine's bedroom. When she got halfway there her three year old Max ran into her legs, "Chrissy shut the door on my finger."

Brennan knelt down, "let me see it." Max held his finger out, Brennan gently felt it. "It not broken." Brennan stood up and went to the bathroom and came back with a wet wash cloth and wiped Max's tear stained face. Then she took him in the living room and got him settled with cartoons and an ice pack. She went to Christine's room stepped over a forgotten board game and went in the closed door.

"Why'd you close the door on your brother's finger?"

"I didn't mean to! I pushed him out, he's ALWAYS in here. He grabbed the door to come back in as I slammed it shut. I opened it as soon as he screamed."

"He just wants to play with you, he's been playing in the living room all morning by himself."

"He plays baby games though."

"He's three, he likes games for his age group. It won't hurt you to play with him. You need to apologize also."

"I know. I will."

"Thank you." Brennan left the room. A few minutes later Christine came into the living room with the game, "I'm sorry I shut the door on your finger, Max."

"It doesn't hurt now."

"That's good. I'll play Candy Land with you if you want."

"I want the green piece..."


	2. Chapter 2 Bad

"Bones, it's not that…bad."

"I look like I got a bad sunburn…"

"Did you try washing it off some more?"

"What do you think I've been doing in here for the past 45 minutes? If I wash any more I will remove my epidermis, which is probably the only way the dye will come off my face!"

"Come out here so I can look." Brennan opened the bathroom door and walked in to their bedroom. Booth waked to her and tipped her chin up, "it really isn't that bad now. Wear your hair down and no one will notice."

"I can't on the platform, I have to have my hair tied back."

"Wear your haz-mat helmet thing then…"

"Booth!"

"What? On the bright side it's only on the left side of your face. I didn't think food coloring stained that bad."

'It doesn't, but Christine didn't use food coloring, she used industrial strength dye that she got from Hodgins. I knew she had it he asked me if she could use it before he gave it to her. I was fine with it as long as an adult poured it in the volcano and supervised her putting in the baking soda. I asked her to wait a minute while I helped Max with his math homework then I'd help add the dye and a little baking soda."

" I don't think she'll do anything like this again after you yelled at her, you never yell."

"She needed to be yelled at, she disobeyed me…"

"I know. Are we going to punish her?"

"Did her dye come off?"

"No, she's mostly red from head to toe."

"Then I think that's punishment enough seeing as tomorrow will be hot enough for short sleeves and shorts and I will make sure she's wearing them…"


	3. Chapter 3 Intelligence

"I feel like an idiot, Bones!"

"Why?" Brennan put down her anthropology journal and looked at Booth.

"Because I was watching Christine do her homework and I didn't have a clue what she was doing! When Parker was in the third grade I understood what he was doing and could help him on occasion."

"Booth, you are not an idiot. Christine has above average intelligence in all areas, most notably math and science and is in a fifth grade classroom for those two subjects, you know this."

"She gets that from you."

"And you…"

"Bones…"

"Booth it's true do you think I would have worked with you for all these years if you were really an idiot?"

Booth grinned a little, "No. I'm not book smart like you…"

"You're may not be as book smart as I am, but you are highly intelligent in other areas. We balance each other out."

"We do don't we?"

"Yeah. Sully was highly book smart in a lot of areas, including kinesiology so he understood a lot of my science, but I couldn't do this job with anyone but you, Booth. You're the only partner I want."

"You're the only partner I want to, Bones. For the rest of my life. I love you."

"I love you too, Booth." They kissed.


	4. Chapter 4 Announce

"I can't believe you're pregnant again, Bones! This is great, it'll be crazy with their only bring 14 months between Max and this baby, but we'll work it out."

"Yeah, I was thinking that I might just take time off before the baby gets here. Max is only five months old, he's still a baby. Plus if this pregnancy is worse than Max's I won't be able to work much longer anyway."

"That's probably a good idea considering the problems you had with Max…"

"Ahem, Doctor Brennan is there something I should know?"

Brennan looked up from her paperwork to see Cam standing in the doorway of her office. "I found out this morning I am pregnant again. I am also thinking of taking time off before the baby gets here to spend time with Max. Also given the complications I had with him it might be prudent for me to quit working and take it easy before any complications arise."

"Congratulations to both of you. Let me know what you decide."

Thank you. I will. Did you need something?"

"Our victim's tox screen is clean."

"Thanks Cam. We'll announce my pregnancy to everyone else when I'm farther along."

"Okay. Stay away from Angela her baby radar has been in overdrive since you were pregnant with Max."

"I will. I'm going to look at the bones again." Brennan left her office.

"And I'll start the paperwork for an extended maternity leave…"

"Thanks, Camille…"

"You're welcome, Seeley."


	5. Chapter 5 Day

Booth climbed back in the SUV and looked at Brennan, "let's take a personal day and go to the diner and have coffee and hang out."

"Why? I have limbo cases to work on and you probably have paperwork to catch up on."

"Because Bones all three of our kids are in all day school this year. We don't have to drop anybody off at daycare or figure out who is going to be able to get them from preschool and take them to daycare. No more summer and day camps to deal with, none of that. Paperwork and limbo can wait, this is a day to celebrate! Plus this is the first time in 9 weeks we haven't had a kid nagging is to do something…"

"IF I do this is it still considered hanging out if we go to the grocery store? We need to stock up and I really don't want to do it tonight after we pick all the kids up."

"Yes, if you take a personal day to hang out with me I will take you grocery shopping after we have coffee at the diner."

"Olay." Booth grinned as Brennan pulled out her phone and called off. After she hung up he called off. When they got to the diner and ordered coffee and doughnuts Brennan pulled out her phone, "hey, no phone Bones."

"I'm just setting the alarm for 2:30 so we don't forget to get the kids."

"Good idea. Let's take them out for pizza tonight."

"Sounds good to me."

After their coffee and doughnuts and a somewhat fast run to the grocery store Booth and Brennan went home and enjoyed spending the rest of the day together talking about their lives outside of work and the kids.


	6. Chapter 6 Murder

"Hodgins says the murder occurred between 5 and 7 days ago according to the insect activity."

"Mommy, what's a murder?"

"Ah, Christine murder is-"

"Sweetheart, murder is just one of mommy's big words she uses to say someone died. Why don't you go brush your teeth and pick out a couple books for me to read to you and I'll be there in a little while to tuck you in."

"Okay, daddy." Christine skipped off to the bathroom. Once the door was closed Booth turned to Brennan, "if we're going to talk about work at home we have to come up with a new word for murder…"

"Why? That's what we do, we catch murderers and bring them to justice…"

"Christine is four years old, she doesn't need to know that people kill each other just because they can."

"I'm not calling murder translated again, that was stupid!"

"Then think of something else!"

How about homicide?"

"No."

"Slaughter?"

"No, that makes it sound like we're talking about a side of meat…"

"Massacre?"

"Nope. Let's just say died or dead or if we have to, killed, but spell it so she won't know…"

"Booth, Christine is very intelligent, she knows how to spell very well. Her teacher thinks she would benefit from skipping kindergarten next year…"

"I know she can spell, Bones! But she can't spell killed…"

"Not yet anyway…"

"Bones!"

"Daddy, I picked three books out and I'm ready to be tucked in!"

"Okay, I'm coming, Christine!" Booth glanced at Brennan and headed down the hall to Christine's bedroom.


	7. Chapter 7 Sad

A/N: This is before 10X21 and I went over 300 words, but it needed it

"How's Christine, Bones?" Booth put his keys on the counter and hung his jacket over a stool.

"She's very sad. She stopped crying a few minutes ago. I'm reheating her dinner, hopefully she'll eat it now. Her goldfish doesn't look right, I looked up diseases they can get on line, but the symptoms I saw in the fish didn't match what I saw online. I wrapped him up and put him in the refrigerator along with water samples for Hodgins to look at in the morning. I want to know what killed him so we can prevent it with any other fish we get for her." The microwave dinged, Brennan took the plate of cut up chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans out. "I'll take it to her." Brennan handed Booth the plate and a fork. "I'll make her something else if she doesn't want this."

"Okay." Booth went to Christine's room and stood in the doorway, Christine looked up. "Daddy, Goldie died. "Booth went in the room and sat the plate of food down on the small table in the corner, before pulling Christine into a hug," I know. I'm so sorry baby girl…"

"I'm decorating the box mommy gave me to put him in tomorrow when we burry him. Will you help me with the glitter?"

"Yes, I'll glitter while you eat some of your dinner mommy warmed up for you."

"Okay." Christine pulled the plate over and put a forkful of potatoes in her mouth. Booth meanwhile carefully applied pink, purple, and blue glitter to a soap box that Brennan had wrapped in white paper for Christine to draw and write on. "Is that enough glitter?"

"Yeah."

"Don't touch it, it needs to dry for a while."

"Okay. I ate my dinner."

"Good job." The chicken and mashed potatoes were gone, most of the green beans were still on the plate. Booth picked Christine up and carried her to the bed laying down beside her. An hour later Brennan stood in the doorway. "It's bedtime." Booth looked over, "She's been asleep for the last half hour."

"That's good. I see she glittered Goldie's soap box."

Booth carefully slid from the bed, "I did that while she ate everything, but the green beans."

"That's good. You can stay the night if you want, I think you being here will help her. We'll burry Goldie when we get home tomorrow. You're welcome to come over for that too."

"Thanks Bones, I'll stay and make you both pancakes in the morning."

"Sounds good to me."

The next afternoon Booth dug a small hole under a tree in the backyard and waited for Christine to place Goldie in his glittered soapbox inside.


	8. Chapter 8 Plan

"This wasn't part of the plan. The plan was to ship the kids to Angela's for the weekend, cook you a nice dinner and serve it on the good plates. Light some candles, open a good bottle of wine. Maybe do a little slow dancing in the living room… instead I'm watching you scrape body bits off the side of a strip mall with a paint scrapper…"

"We're together though Booth, that's got to count for something."

"Yeah, but it's our 10th anniversary. I wanted to be romantic, not slightly nauseated!"

"The dinner looked and smelled delicious, I'm sorry we didn't get to enjoy it and the other things you had planned for the evening."

"Me too. We can't even celebrate tomorrow we have to work the case!"

"I'm sure Angela would watch the kids next weekend or whenever we have time to have a belated anniversary celebration."

"Yeah I guess you're right." When Brennan was done Booth drove her to the lab and then left again. An hour later Booth asked Brennan to come to her office. "What is this, Booth?" Booth had moved the books off of Brennan's coffee table and set it with lit candles and their good plates. "Take 30 minutes and have dinner with me, please."

"Okay Mr. Sanders is separating the bone fragments from the tissue, I can't do anything until that's completed anyway."

"Right… Happy Anniversary, Bones, I love you."

"Happy Anniversary, Booth, I love you, too." They kissed.


	9. Chapter 9 Ill

"Bones let me take you home."

"I'm fine."

Booth walked over to Brennan's desk and pressed the back of his hand to her forehead, "You're not fine, Bones, you're burning up!"

Brennan looked up at Booth with a tired expression, "it seems I've become more ill as the morning has progressed."

"You have that crap the kids have been passing around for the last week and a half."

"I have to agree with you, I hope none of them felt as bad as I do. Booth, will you take me home?"

"Sure, I called the doctor and they called you in a script for meds, I'll get them on our way home. Are you taking any of this stuff home?"

"Just those three files and my laptop." Booth grabbed the files and Brennan's laptop and put them in her bag before shouldering it and pulling her to her feet. Booth left Brennan in the SUV while he got her meds and other supplies. Once they were home Brennan took her meds and went to bed. A few hours later Booth picked up their kids from school. "Dad, where's mom?"

"Mom is at home sick. She has what the three of you had for the last week and a half. You guys have to be quiet when we get home, mom needs sleep."

"Okay, dad."

A few hours later Booth was getting their youngest daughter Grace ready for bed. "Daddy, can I go tell mommy goodnight?"

"Sure if she's awake, let's go see." Booth carried Grace to their room and peaked in the doorway, Brennan was awake and halfway sitting up in bed, "Bones, somebody wants to say goodnight." Brennan smiled as Booth walked to the bed and set Grace in her lap.

"Hi Gracie."

"Hi mommy I just wanted to say goodnight and I love you."

"I love you too Gracie, goodnight." Brennan kissed the top of the little girls head and let Booth pick her up.


	10. Chapter 10 Secret

For the past two nights after their three kids were in bed Brennan went to Booth's man cave and disappeared for a few hours. Booth didn't think much of it at first, he just thought she wanted to watch some documentary on the big screen. On the third night he couldn't take it anymore, he had to see what she was watching. After giving her a few minutes to get settled Booth went downstairs and stood behind the couch.

"BONES! I don't believe it you're watching a crime drama! You hate crime dramas!"

Brennan turned, "BOOTH! You startled me! Yes, I am watching a crime drama and normally I hate them, but this one is actually good. The scientific parts are mostly realistic. Don't tell anyone I like the show…"

Booth smiled, "I won't it'll be our secret. Why'd you start watching it?"

"I saw a blurb for it and it looked interesting so I started watching it on Netflix to catch up. The main characters remind me of us a little, the show is even called _Bones_."

"Hey look at that, you've got a show named after you..."

Brennan smiled, 'you can watch with me if you want, I think you'd like it." Booth walked around the couch and sat down, putting his arm around Brennan. After they'd watched a few episodes, Booth turned to Brennan and said, "It is good and I like the show, but we're SO much better than they are! I mean did you see the socks? They were neon stripped! Who wears socks like that to the FBI?"

Brennan laughed, "Certainly not you. Do you want to watch more with me tomorrow night? We have ten seasons to get through before the eleventh season starts in September."

"It's a date."

A/N: yes, I poked a little fun at the show and DB's socks, but it's what popped in my head


	11. Chapter 11 Behind

"Bren is everything okay? You were late this morning and you still seem a little frazzled."

"I'm fine Ange, I've been behind all day. Gracie was up and down all night, the last time she went down, I must have as Booth likes to say passed out cold and didn't wake up until 6:45. I probably wouldn't have woken up then if it hadn't been for Christine coming in my room to ask if we could have pancakes for breakfast. Then after I got up and quickly got ready I got Max up and put him in his highchair with his dry cereal and cut up banana. I forgot to move the highchair out from the wall and he threw most of the cereal down the furnace vent. Then he smashed and smeared most of his banana all over himself and the highchair. I had to give him a quick bath which he screamed through. Thankfully we were only 15 minutes late to school. I had to go in and talk to the secretary so Christine wouldn't be counted absent. Then after I dropped Max and Gracie off upstairs I realized I forgot to pack Christine's lunch, so I went back to school and left money for her in the office. Doing all that made me miss the entire meeting with the scholarship committee, Dr. Fuller is less than pleased with me…"

"Aww Sweetie, don't pay any attention to Dr. Fuller, he should have retired years ago. Your kids come first everybody knows that. Is Gracie okay?"

"Yes, I think she was a little gassy and she probably misses Booth. " I miss him too, I never realized how much he helps with the kids until this week."

Aww Bren, when is he coming home?"

"Monday night, hopefully before bedtime otherwise no one will want to go to sleep."

"At least today is Friday so that should make it a little easier for you."

"It should be easier with no schedule to stick strictly to. The only things I have planned are making Christine pancakes and sucking Cheerios out of the furnace vent in the kitchen tomorrow."


	12. Chapter 12 Want

""I want this this cereal mommy, not that one." Christine pointed to a bright red box with a cartoon rabbit on it.

Brennan put the box of cereal she was holding in the cart, "Christine, the cereal you want is almost pure sugar. The cereal I always buy for you has a little bit of sugar in it, but it has lots of healthy things in it too. Besides you like it."

"But-"

"What did I tell you before we left the house?"

"If I was good at the grocery store I could get a cookie from the bakery."

"Right do you still want a cookie?"

"Yeah."

"Then you need to stop right now…" Brennan bit her lip to keep from laughing a Christine pouted, but let the cereal debate go. Thirty minutes later Brennan ordered a chocolate marshmallow cookie for Christine, a chocolate chip cookie for Booth and an oatmeal raisin cookie for herself.

Later that night Booth took his cookie from the bag, "Bones, this thing is as big as a salad plate!'

"I know, that's why I only let Christine eat half of hers tonight."

Booth came back into the living room with only half his cookie. "You're only eating half of yours?"

"Yeah, it wouldn't be fair if Christine saw mine gone and half of hers and all of yours. How come yours is still in the bag?"

"Because when I got it, it sounded good, now the thought of eating raisins makes me sick!"

"You can have the other half of mine…"

"No thanks, Booth."


	13. Chapter 13 Stranded

The car started jerking and Booth pulled to the side of the road. "The car is acting like it's running out of gas. "

"The tank was full when we picked it up at the rental place."

"It says it still is, the gage must be broken. I'll just call the rental place and see what they say."

"Okay."

"I don't have a signal…"

"I had one about 5 minutes ago when I answered Angela's email."

"Okay I'm going to walk back that way until I get a signal."

"Okay. Be careful.

"I will be." Booth exited the car and started walking back the way they had come. Twenty minutes later he was back in the car. "The rental place is sending a new car and a tow truck out, free of charge. They'll be here in about an hour."

"Our tenth anniversary is doomed, first we got a case and couldn't celebrate on the actual day we got married. Now here it is 6 weeks later and we're stranded on the side of the road in North Carolina on the way to our beachfront hotel for a long weekend."

"Bones, our tenth anniversary is not doomed, it's just temporarily delayed…"

"Still look at us it took us years to admit we had feelings for each other, and then Pelant happened. The church burnt to the ground the night before the wedding…."

"Bones, all that stuff happened plus a lot more, but it's all par for the course. Look on the bright side, the kids aren't with us and it isn't snowing like it is at home."

"True. I love you."

"I love you too, Bones." They kissed. An hour later they were on their way to the beachfront hotel to spend the next four days doing things you couldn't exactly do with three kids in the house…


	14. Chapter 14 Wealthy

"No, Christine your mom and I are not buying you a car."

"I need a car I get my license next month…"

"You can drive your mom's car on the weekends…"

"I don't want mom's car. I want my own car. How am I going to get to school?"

"I will take you and pick you up like I've done every day since preschool."

"DAD!" Christine sighed and stomped off to her room.

Brennan looked up from the sandwich she was making for Gracie's lunch. "Booth, we're wealthy enough to buy Parker, Christine, Max, and Gracie as many cars as they desire…"

"I know, but we aren't buying any of the kids a car at 16. When I got my license I got to drive Grams' car on the weekends and after Pops retired the next year I got to use his truck. If it was good enough for me it's good enough for Christine!"

"Maybe so, but she will be starting her job that is weekdays at the end of May. It would be more convenient for everyone if she had her own transportation. We could help her buy a dependable used car. She can pay for the gas and insurance."

"She doesn't have that much money though."

"She saved all of her money from her babysitting job last summer and her summer tutoring job. Plus I put $100 a month in it. I also set up accounts for Max and Gracie that get 100 a month too. I set one up for Parker when he was 5 years old, he gets it on his 25th birthday. I have more money than I'll ever spend in two lifetimes and I don't want our kids to struggle like we did…"

"Okay, she can get a dependable used car. We'll pay half and all the insurance, but she buys her own gas…"

"Thank you, daddy! I love you!' Booth chuckled as Christine ran into the kitchen from her 'hiding' spot in the living room." I love you, too angel. Thank your mom, she puts extra money in your account every month. "

"Thanks mom. I love you."

"You're welcome, Christine. I love you, too."


	15. Chapter 15 Marriage

"Dad, I'm gonna ask Annie to marry me!" Booth choked on the drink of water he just took and coughed.

"Are you sure Parker? Marriage is a huge step. It's hopefully a once in a lifetime moment. Don't ask her if you're not one hundred present sure you're ready for that commitment. It will break her heart if you change your mind after she says yes."

"Yeah, dad I'm sure, Annie's the girl. I've never felt this way with anyone else. She completes me."

"Park, I understand, but are you really sure? You've only been dating for 6 months. You're 18 and freshmen in college."

"Dad, I'm really sure. I know we're young and stuff, but Annie's the one…"

"Okay Bub. Did you talk to her dad yet?"

"I am tomorrow while she's at work then I'll get the ring and take her out Friday night to pop the question."

"Okay good luck."

"Thanks, dad."

Friday night Booth was watching a baseball game when Parker came home. "Annie said 'no'…"Parker slumped down on the other end of the couch.

"Parker, I'm sorry."

"It's okay, she wants to finish school and get a job then think about getting married and stuff. That makes sense right?"

"Yes, it does, but it doesn't make the fact that she said 'no' not hurt any less."

"She said she still wants to be friends and we can date still…"

"That's good. I was friends with Bones for years before we got together…"

"Yeah and you even dated too, right?"

"Yeah, but we never called them 'dates'…"


	16. Chapter 16 Affected

"How is she, Bones?" Booth stood next to the rocker in Gracie's room.

"Fine. She doesn't seem affected by being locked in my office alone during lockdown." Brennan kissed the side of the sleeping baby's head.

"That's great."

"Yeah, but I still feel bad. I shouldn't have left her there alone."

"Bones, how many times have you left Gracie or Max or Christine sleeping in your office while you worked on the platform or something?"

"A lot..."

"And nothing has happened..."

"Of course not. I still feel bad-"

"It's not your fault Hodgins was doing an experiment and set off every alarm in the lab. If his experiments ever physically hurt you or one of the kids, bug boy is going to get it."

Brennan chuckled softly and adjusted Gracie's blanket. "She got so scared from the alarms and I couldn't get in there to her. I could only kneel outside the door and watch her cry. It broke my heart."

"Aw Bones I know, but she calmed down soon after the doors opened, right?"

"Yeah, the lockdown only lasted ten minutes. I had to pace with her for a few minutes and change her clothes, she was sweaty and wet with tears. Angela gave her a cookie left over from Michael Vincent's birthday party so that helped. She sat on my lap the rest of the afternoon."

"Aw." Booth bent down and kissed Gracie's forehead. He turned and kissed Brennan, "come to bed when you're ready." Brennan nodded and continued rocking Gracie as Booth turned and left the room.


	17. Chapter 17 Long Hours

""Let's go home, Bones."

Brennan looked up from the desk, "I can't Booth. I have to finish my notes for court, look over the new intern's work, write the report that goes with it, and review a new textbook. Then rework Dr. Springer's lecture notes into something I can actually use to teach with. I think it would have been easier to just use my own lectures when I agreed to take over his courses instead of agreeing use to his. Then I have to edit my new book."

"Bones, these long hours you've been putting in for the last two weeks are insane. The kids miss you, you only see them in the morning… I miss you, going to bed alone sucks…"

"I know, I miss you and the kids too, very much. After my testimony wraps up in two days, and I get the edits on my book done it won't be so crazy. I can't leave now, but I promise to be home before bedtime."

"Okay see you later. I love, you."

"I love you too. See you later."

An hour and a half later Booth was putting Max in his booster seat for dinner when Brennan came through the door. "MOMMY!" Booth quickly helped Max to the floor and reached across to help Gracie as he and Christine made a beeline for Brennan. Booth smiled and took a picture of Brennan being tackled by all three kids. He got a plate and silverware out and set them on the table. By the time he had the spaghetti, salad and garlic toast on the table Brennan had everyone back in their seats. After dinner Brennan took Max and Gracie for their baths and bedtime stories. A few hours later Booth found Brennan and Christine in their bed, asleep, a copy of Beezus and Ramona in Brennan's lap. After getting Christine in her bed, Booth covered Brennan up and climbed in beside her.


	18. Chapter 18 Worthy

"Bones, this is the BEST pie I've ever had!" Booth put a big bite of apple pie in his mouth and chewed.

"I'm glad you are enjoying it Booth. Though I'm not sure I'm worthy of your praise, "it's just store bought crust and canned filling. I just assembled and baked it. I even got a disposable pie pan… I know homemade crust and fresh apples would be better, but I didn't have time to do that."

"Even so Bones the pie is great, its way better than the ones you can buy at the grocery store. Thank you for making it for me."

"You're welcome, Booth. The kids helped too."

"Ah, so that's why theirs a cup of sugar on top of it?"

"Yeah, I told Christine to sprinkle a tiny bit on top, but before I could stop her she dumped a whole scoop on top. I couldn't take any of it off once it hit the milk Max brushed on top, it was stuck on there. Gracie and I tried to at least spread it around and even it out a little more."

"It's perfect Bones. The sugar got all caramelized and crunchy on top, it's good."

"As long as you like it that's all that matters considering it's your birthday pie…"

"Thanks Bones. And you're sure I don't have to share with the kids when they get back from the movies with Angela and Hodgins?"

"it's all yours, Booth… I got the kids cupcakes for tomorrow, they'll be too sugared up tonight for them."


	19. Chapter 19 Sinful

Brennan walked into the bedroom and Booth looked up from tying his tie. "Wow, Bones you look sinful in that dress."

Brennan blushed and moved next to him to put in her ear rings. "Thanks Booth, you don't look so bad yourself." Booth nodded and went back to his tie. "Wait Bones, is that your first 'Roxie' outfit?"

"Yes, I found it in my closet the other day and put it on to see if after more than a decade and three children it still fit. It does, actually it's a bit looser now than it was then. I thought since we're going out tonight to a nice restaurant without kids menus or crayons on the table to celebrate the first time we met, I'd wear it. I know I had on that print skirt and the red shirt the first time we met, but one of the kids threw up on that outfit and it was easier to throw it away than have it cleaned."

"Aw Bones it doesn't matter what you wear. Have you kept all of Roxie's outfits?"

"No, just this one."

"Why only this dress?'

"Because it's the only one of Roxie's outfits I've liked… and because you picked it out…" Booth chuckled softly and kissed Brennan's cheek. "I love you, Bones."

"I love you too, Booth."

"I'm so glad Angela insisted on keeping the kids at her place tonight…"

"Me too, Booth…"


	20. Chapter 20 Obvious

Brennan walked in the front door and tossed her jacket and bag on a chair, suppressing a smile she went over to Booth's recliner." Hi Booth."

"Hi Bones." When he sat up a little Brennan noticed the heating pad behind his back. "well it's obvious that you spent at least part of the day outside playing catch with Max and instead of letting his badly aimed throws hit the ground you ran after them and did a lot of bending and stretching and threw out your back."

"Wrong. I was giving Gracie her third piggyback ride of the afternoon and she started bounce around and I pulled something…She thinks she really hurt me, I tried to explain that I'd be okay in a few days and it wasn't her fault. I'm just getting old and it really sucks because Max and Gracie are at that fun stage where we can do things together and here I am all wore out!"

"Booth, you're not wore out. You've been through a lot of trauma in your life and it's catching up to you. You can still play with the kids, you'll just have to take it a little easier."

"It still sucks..." Brennan kissed his cheek.

"I'm going to talk to Gracie then start dinner. Maybe we can convince Christine to entertain her siblings after dinner so I can give you a massage…"

"That'd be nice…"


	21. Chapter 21 Caught

It was Brennan's birthday, Booth and the kids made her a cake and he was going to grill some tofu, steak, and vegetable kabobs for dinner when she got home. About an half hour after they got done Booth saw Max head into the kitchen, after a minute or two of no noise or Max leaving the kitchen, he got up and peaked in the kitchen. Max was dragging his finger through the frosting on the bottom of Brennan's cake and then licking it off.

"Max, what-ch-ya doin'?"

Max quickly stuck his finger in his mouth and turned to face Booth, "nothin'"

"Nothin' huh? Because it looks like you were sticking your finger in the frosting on mommy's cake and the licking it off…"

"Maybe..." Booth went over to the sink and wet a paper towel, turning around he picked Max up and sat him on the counter, wiping his hands and face. "You can't do that anymore, bud to mommy's cake or anyone else's okay? Nobody wants to eat your slobbers!"

"K." Booth pulled out a butter knife and went to work trying to fix Brennan's cake. When he did the best he could with what little frosting was left on the edges booth got Max off the counter. That night after the kids were in bed Brennan turned to Booth, "Thanks for my dinner and cake, Booth they were delicious."

"You're welcome, Bones. I am glad you enjoyed them."

"Who did you let frost it? The one side was really thin…"

"No one, after we got done with it I caught Max dragging his finger through the frosting on the bottom of it and then licking it off. I tried to smooth it over, but we didn't have enough frosting…"

Brennan chuckled, so that's why he wouldn't look me in the eye when I put him in bed."

'Yep."


	22. Chapter 22 Splatter

Booth stood back from scrubbing the finger paint splatter off the wall next to Max and Gracie's highchairs. "Washable paint my a$$ this stuff isn't coming off…"

"Booth, I'm home!" Brennan walked through the living room into the kitchen. "Hi Booth what are you doing?"

"Oh hey Bones, I just thought I'd scrub the walls down while Max and Gracie are napping and Christine is having quiet time."

Brennan walked over to the wall, "that's paint, Booth…"

"It is. Christine wanted to finger paint so instead of talking everybody outside in the heat I let her do it in here and of course Max and Gracie had to paint too. They both got a little over zealous and slammed their hands down in it splattering paint everywhere… Thankfully I had them just in their diapers. The jar says it will come off anything, but it lied. I'll repaint the kitchen this weekend."

"Leave it Booth, I like it..."

''Really?"

"Yes, in the future I might want to repaint, but for now I like the purple, red, yellow, orange and blue finger paint splatters on my terracotta clay kitchen wall. Though next me Christine wants to paint everyone goes outside."

"You got it, Bones."


	23. Chapter 23 Flight

A/N: This one is a continuation of 'behind'

After a week away from the kids and Brennan, Booth was glad to be unlocking the front door of his house. Once inside he was met with Brennan holding a finger to her lips and nodding toward the couch. Booth let his bag quietly slide to the floor as he looked over the back of the couch. Christine and Max were laying at either end sleeping. Booth went and stood beside Brennan, "hi."

"Hi. They wanted to wait until you came home to go to bed. They wanted you to tuck them in and read their bedtime story."

"Aw, sorry guys I'll tuck them in now and read triple stories tomorrow. I was lucky to make home at all tonight, storms over Chicago delayed my flight twice I was about ready to rent a car and drive home."

"I figured they wouldn't stay in bed or asleep if I made them go, so let them watch a movie and about an hour past their bedtime they were asleep. Gracie has been on her normal schedule tonight, but I let her sleep here too. I think she missed you…"

"Aw I missed everybody, especially you, I can't sleep if you're not next to me Bones."

"I missed you too, Booth. I can't sleep well if you're not next to me either, Booth."

Booth chuckled softly and kissed Brennan, "I love you."

"I love you too."

"I'm going to put everybody in bed."

"Okay, Gracie will be up to eat in a half hour, theirs a bottle in the fridge if you want to feed her."

"Yeah."

"Good, I'm going to bed."

"I'll be there as soon as everybody is tucked in."


	24. Chapter 24 Slip

"Christine, don't run in the house, you might slip on the slick floor and hurt yourself." The words had no sooner left Brennan's mouth when she heard a thud followed by crying, she wiped her hands on the towel and went over to the living room, and Christine was sitting by the end table with blood running down her face. "Oh Sweetheart, stay right there." Brennan hurried and got paper towels and the first aid kit, sitting on the floor across from Christine, Brennan pulled her hand away from the gash on her forehead.

"Let me look at it." Brennan tipped Christine's head up and pressed a paper towel over the cut. "Christine, I know you're scared and it hurts, but you need to calm down and answer the questions I am going to ask you, okay?"

"Okay."

"Does your tummy hurt?"

"No."

"Good. Are you hearing funny sounds in your ears?"

"No."

"Good. Do you feel dizzy, like you do after you ride the carousel too many times with daddy?"

"No."

"Good." Brennan carefully lifted up the paper towel and was relived to find the bleeding had slowed down enough so she could look at the cut. After a few minutes she got a clean paper towel and pressed it to the cut. Then she called out for Booth, he came upstairs from his man cave and saw the blood on the floor and on Christine. "I'll call Ange and tell her we're dropping of Max and Gracie and get my keys."

"Thanks."


	25. Chapter 25 Escaped

Parker unlocked the door of his dad and stepmom's house and was met by a high pitched squeal and a naked Gracie coming at him.

"Whoa, Gracie belle, where are you going?" Parker bent over and scooped Gracie up, wrapping the baby blanket that was on the back of the couch around her. "Let's go find Bones or dad, I don't think they want you to streak through the house."

Parker found Brennan coming down the hallway, "Parker, you got her."

"Yeah, she met me at the door naked as a J bird."

"Yes, your sister has developed an aversion to clothes and diapers recently. She escaped from me after her bath. I was trying to keep Max his pajamas. He wants to wear his set with airplanes on them, but he spilled breakfast on them this morning so I put his train set on him and he doesn't want to wear them…"

"You take the Gracie and get her dressed and I'll wrangle Max. He's still in his diaper right?"

"Yes."

"Good cuz I don't do diapers… Where's Dad?"

"His meeting started late he should be home in about an hour. Christine is already in bed, she ate too much junk food at the birthday party she went to this afternoon and now she doesn't feel well." Parker nodded and kissed the side of Gracie's head and handed her to Brennan. Ten minutes later Brennan smiled and sat pink footy pajama clad Gracie down next to Parker has he started to read to Max who was in his baseball pajamas.

'The trains were a no go huh?"

"Yep, but baseballs are fine…"

"Thanks, can you get them in bed? I need to check on your sister."

"Yeah and you're welcome.

Brennan kissed Parker's cheek." Theirs macaroni and cheese in the fridge."


	26. Chapter 26 Honor

Booth was helping Gracie put her shoes on. "Daddy, are we going to Church?"

Booth chuckled and fastened the last buckle and looked up, "no, we're going to a fancy dinner to honor mommy because she's the scientist of the decade."

"Oh. I hope we have macaroni and cheese."

"I think mommy got everybody chicken strips, carrots and mashed potatoes."

"Yummy!"

"Yeah, now you're all ready to go." Booth twirled Gracie around and made her giggle as he put her on the floor.

"Daddy, mommy said that you need to tie my tie, because she doesn't know how to."

"Okay." Booth sat Max on the counter and carefully tied his dark blue tie. "Is that too tight?"

"No."

"Good. Go put your suit jacket on."

"Okay." Booth put Max down.

"Dad, can you tie my tie? I can't get it straight."

"Sure, I remember when I had to sit you on the counter to do this every Sunday, now I have to look up at you to do it! Thanks for coming tonight Parker, it means lot to Bones and to me that you're going to be there. Plus I need extra hands to help with the monkeys."

"You're welcome, dad."

Booth finished with the tie as Brennan and Christine came into the kitchen. "Daddy, look at my dress!"

"You look very pretty, sweetheart. You too, Bones."

"Thanks, Booth. You look very handsome tonight..."

"Thanks, Bones. We gotta roll. Parker, get Max and button his suit jacket. I'll get Gracie."

"Got it." Parker knelt in front of Max and buttoned his jacket before picking him up and following his dad out of the house.

A/N: this one will continue at some point…. 


	27. Chapter 27 Ashamed

A/N: This one is over 300 words, but I couldn't help it. A twist on 10X20….

"Bones, we need to talk…"

"Okay." Brennan sat down on the couch and turned as much as she could to face Booth. Booth sat down and to Brennan he looked a bit scared. "Bones, I'm ashamed to even admit this, but I started gambling again…"

"Oh Booth…no… you said you called your sponsor after the case and that you were okay."

"I didn't I called a bookie…"

"Booth, how could you?"

"I honestly don't know, I thought I could handle it. I'm in a better place than I was last time. I have you, Parker, Christine, and the new baby. My life is in an excellent place right now…"

"Booth, I'm not mad at you, I'm sad that despite how much control you've had for years your disease got the best of you. I've been preparing myself for this moment since we started working together. I will help you however I can…How much do you owe?"

"I was up 15 but now I'm down 30…"

"I can pay it off…"

"Bones…"

"I'd rather you owe me than a bookie, Booth. Let me ask you, what made you get your addiction under control last time?"

Booth smiled a little, "you. I realized after our first case together that I needed to get my life in order so that we could work together. Once that was done I began trying to find ways to convince you to work with me again."

"Booth, I think it'd be best if you left while you are getting your addiction under control again-"

"Bones…"

'Booth, I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but you need a reason to get in control. If you stay here like nothing has changed you won't have a reason to get in control. I don't want you to leave, but I need you too for everyone's wellbeing."

"Yeah I get it… can I at least get some stuff?"

"Yes…"

"And you'll call me if…"He glanced toward Brennan's stomach.

"Yes, I will call you if I go into labor or if anything else happens. You can come see Christine whenever you feel ready…"

"Thanks." Brennan nodded as Booth headed to the bedroom. Thirty minutes later he stood by the front door." I called my sponsor, for real this time, he's meeting me at the diner. He has a place I can stay…"

"Good…" Booth looked at Brennan one last time and left the house. As soon as Brennan heard Booth's SUV leave the driveway she rubbed her hand across her stomach. "Daddy, is going to be fine. This is just a setback. He'll be back home with us soon… I hope…"


	28. Chapter 28 Attentive

"Someone is attentive today."

Brennan looked over her shoulder and smiled, "yes, Max seems more alert today. I put him on his activity mat so he could play while I folded the laundry, but he started fussing as soon as I sat down. I put him in his bouncy chair on the coffee table and he calmed down. He has been watching me fold things. I think the bright colors of your comic book character boxers are what he's most attentive to."

Booth laughed and walked around the couch and kissed Max's head, "have fun, buddy." Max blew a spit bubble in reply.

"You need me to get anything before I come home?"

"Diapers, wipes, milk, yogurt, and bananas. Can you get something for dinner? I don't feel like cooking for just us..."

"Sure, Italian? Since you're staying away from spicy food for the time being."

"Sounds good. I'll have vegetable Alfredo and salad. Get Christine the cheese and spinach ravioli she loves, she can have it for lunch tomorrow."

"Got it anything else?"

"No."

"Okay, I'll be back in a few hours when the game is over."

"Okay, Max and I are going to do a few more loads of laundry then we might vacuum, he might like that if I use the sling. Christine liked the vibrations when she was an infant."

"Enjoy your one- on- one time with Max, Bones. If Christine changes her mind and doesn't want to spend the night with Michael Vincent, call me and I'll get her on my way home."

"Okay. Max and I love you, Booth."

"I love you and Max too, Bones."


	29. Chapter 29 Motivated

"Come on, Bones, it's almost 9 get up and let's do something."

Brennan rolled over and opened an eye, "Booth, we're childless and we don't have a case or anything else to do for the first time in I don't know how long, but it's been a while. I find that I'm not motivated to do anything, but sleep and be lazy at least right now. Now I'm going to go back to sleep..."

Booth chuckled and pulled the blankets back up around Brennan's shoulders. "If anyone deserves to be unmotivated on a Saturday morning it's you, Bones. Sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep. I love you." He kissed Brennan and watched as she snuggled down and fell back asleep.

It was just after noon when Brennan, still in her pajamas made her way into the living room to find Booth sound asleep on the couch. After fixing his blanket she quietly toasted a bagel and went to her office to work on the outline for her next book.


	30. Chapter 30 Grovel

"I want a new dolly, mommy! That one." Gracie pointed to a doll that was the approximate size of a newborn and was capable of life like movements if 2 AA batteries that weren't included were placed in its back.

"Gracie, we're not here to get things for you, we're here to get presents and supplies for Max's birthday party."

"But mommy I want that one, please can I get it?"

"No."

"Please?"

"I said no."

"But I want it..."

"Grace Elizabeth Booth, I told you we aren't here to get things for you. I don't want you to grovel for it anymore. Which dump truck should we get for your brother?"

Gracie pointed to a bright yellow truck that had a bag full of plastic rocks that you could dump out of it.

"I think your brother will like this one very much, Gracie." Gracie smiled as Brennan placed the truck and a few extra bags of rocks in the cart. "Now onto party supplies."

"It's not fair Max gets a party!"

"It is. You get to have a party in two months for your birthday."

"I do?'

"Yes."

"Can I get a new dolly then?"

"You'll have to wait and see."

The next afternoon instead of having lunch with Booth Brennan went back to the store and got the doll plus the Disney princess party supplies Gracie had tried to get her to buy for Max's party. She also got the mega pack of AA batteries.


	31. Chapter 31 Swear

"DAMN IT!"

"Oooh mommy, daddy said a bad word!" Brennan looked up from her lunch preparation to see three of her children smiling at her from the other side of the counter.

"Yes, He did. I think he needs to put five dollars in the swear jar…" Brennan pointed to the peanut butter jar next to the toaster with a slot in the top wide enough to side a bill through. At the end of the year the money would be divided between the four siblings to go buy whatever they wanted. Booth grunted and pulled out his wallet, then took the lid off the jar.

"Booth, what are you doing?"

"Getting change for a 20."

"The fact that theirs enough money in there to make change for a 20 is sad…."

"Yeah well who had to put 25 in it last weekend?"

"I dropped a cast iron pan on my toe, I'm surprised it's not broken! Plus it was 10 at night Max should have been in bed not in the kitchen wanting something to drink!"

Booth laughed and kissed Brennan's cheek, "I smashed the daylights out of my finger with a hammer just now…"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'll probably lose the nail, but I'll live…"


	32. Chapter 32 Shoot

"Hodgins, if this paint doesn't come off and I have to go to my meeting with Stark in the morning looking like a Smurf I will shoot you."

"Are you sure you want to do that? Think of all the paperwork…"

"Dr. Hodgins, please go to your station and do SOMETHING constructive that doesn't involve an experiment."

"Sure, Dr. B."

"Booth go take a decontamination shower, you might need two. I'll bring you a change of clothes. I'm just going to put your suit in a bag and throw it out, no amount of dry cleaning will get it clean"

"Fine, bug boy can buy me another. Save the tie, it's a Father's Day gift from Parker."

"I will save your tie, I might be able to clean it."

"I hope…"

"Booth, you need to take a shower before the paint dries or you will be a Smurf…."

An hour later Booth walked back into Brennan's office, dressed in track pants and a Jeffersonian t-shirt.

"Bug boy lives, two screaming hot showers did it. I'm not a Smurf…"

"That's great! I was also able to clean your tie, it's perfect."

"Great! Let's do paperwork at home, it'll be safer…"

"Okay." Brennan picked up her bag and followed Booth out of her office.


	33. Chapter 33 Switch

A/N: This is an old fic I wrote a few years ago on another site, but it works here so I re posted it with minor changes.

Hodgins walked quietly into Brennan's office with Angela at his heels "Hodgins, hurry up this thing is freaking me out! I don't know why you're not holding the iguana; you're the bug and slime guy, not me!"

"First off, iguanas are reptiles, not bugs or slime so, not my area of expertise. Second you were the one Brennan asked to take care of her iguana while she, Booth, Christine and Parker are on vacation, not me. Third who let Michael Vincent feed him?"

"I did, but I watched him feed Iggy the food Brennan left and he was fine. I came in here yesterday and he was bottoms up in the tank. You think he died of old age?"

"Iguana's live to about to be about 10 in captivity, Iggy was four so I doubt it was old age and more the piece of bologna that Michael Vincent snuck in here and fed him while you were in the bathroom." Hodgins chuckled and finished setting up the new tank, and he turned and opened the box, taking out Brennan's new iguana.

"Angie, this is insane…."

"No, it isn't. All we have to do is switch out Brennan's dead Iguana with the live one…"

"We should just tell Brennan what Michael Vincent did-"

"And risk his life I don't think so! She'll never know…"

"Angie! Come on! It's Dr. B, she knows bones! She'll know Iggy isn't the real Iggy!"

"I don't see how they look alike…"

"Trust me, she knows Iggy's bones better than he does…"

Three days later Brennan stuck her head out of her office. "Ange, can I talk to you a minute?"

"Sure Sweetie." Angela entered the office.

"Ange, what happened to Iggy?"

"Noting, he's right there in his tank."

"No, this isn't the original Iggy…this one doesn't have a ¼ inch scar on its right hind leg, nor does it 'limp'"

"How?"

"I know bones Ange, even iguana bones."

"I let Michael Vincent feed him the other day before he had his lunch and later while I was in the bathroom he snuck in here and fed Iggy a piece of bologna. The next morning I found Iggy bottoms up in the tank. I got you another one thinking you'd never be able to tell…Hodgins said you would."

"Hodgins is very astute…"

"Are you mad?"

"No, I'm a little disappointed in Michael Vincent, but it was an accident. I'm going to call this one Iggy too; no need to tell Christine or Michael Vincent that Iggy is dead."

"Thanks Bren."


	34. Chapter 34 Promise

"It's time for me to go, Christine."

"No, daddy can't you stay? You never stay here anymore!"

"I want to stay here with you and mommy very much, but I have a meeting I have to go to…"

"No! Just stay here!"

Booth knelt down and took Christine's hands in his, "I want to baby girl but I can't. I will come play with you tomorrow after dinner like I did tonight, okay?"

"Okay, promise?"

"I promise. Go get in bed so I can tuck you in before I leave."

"Okay." Once Christine was safely out of earshot, Brennan turned to Booth. "Booth, why don't you pick her up from school tomorrow? She'd love it. You can stay for dinner, I'll make macaroni and cheese. Then we all can spend the rest of the night together…"

"I'd love to, Bones if you're sure?"

"I am."

"Okay. Don't tell Christine, let it be a surprise."

"I won't."

"Thanks, Bones." Booth headed to Christine room to tuck her in…


	35. Chapter 35 Hell

Booth was in hell, a hell worse than anything he'd ever been through. He'd been chasing down leads with Aubrey when Cam called and told him that Brennan was in labor and Angela was taking her to the hospital. He'd gotten to her room just in time to see her being wheeled to the O.R. for an emergency C- section. The baby's heartrate had dropped dangerously low and was slow to come back up. They didn't have time for Booth to get ready to be in the room with Brennan. Now he stood waiting, wondering, and praying for Brennan and their surprise little girl to be okay.

"Mr. Booth?'

"Yes?

"Your wife is in recovery, everything went well. The doctors are still running tests on your daughter, but so far everything looks great. I can take you to your wife if you would like, she's groggy and probably already back asleep. We had to put her under general anesthesia. If everything goes will with your daughter a nurse will bring her to you as soon as the doctors say she's okay."

"Thanks." Booth followed the nurse to the recovery room. Brennan was sleeping, but she stirred when Booth kissed her forehead. "Booth?"

"Yeah. Everything went great, Bones-"

Brennan cleared her throat, "Grace?"

"Gracie's okay. The doctors are still checking her out, but so far everything looks great."

"Good."

"Rest Bones I'll wake you when they bring Gracie in."

"Okay." As soon as Brennan was asleep the nurse brought Gracie in, Booth went over to the crib and picked her up. "She's perfectly healthy, Mr. Booth, she just wanted a dramatic entrance."

Booth laughed and kissed Gracie's forehead, " Hi Gracie, it's daddy. Let's let mommy sleep for a while we bond…"


	36. Chapter 36 Grin

The sun was barely up and the house was quiet as Brennan rocked Max while he finished his early morning breakfast. She looked down and saw his brown eyes staring up at her. "Hi sweetheart, you're wide awake this morning." Max gave Brennan a slobbery grin. "Your first smile. What are you so happy about today, huh?" Brennan kissed Max's forehead. "Since you're still awake let's go see if daddy is, you can spend time together before your sister gets up."

Brennan stood up from the rocker and grabbed a baby blanket before heading across the hall. She knew Booth was still awake; he always woke up when Max did but laid quietly letting Brennan enjoy the peace of a quiet house and bonding time with Max. Booth rolled over when Brennan entered the bedroom and pushed himself up when he noticed she was holding Max. "Everything okay?"

"Yes, Max is wide awake this morning and I thought you'd like to spend time together before Christine gets up."

"Sure." Brennan handed Max to Booth.

"He grinned at me after I got done feeding him this morning."

"Aw, bud, were you grinning at mommy?" Max kicked his legs.

Brennan smiled, "I see your voice still has the same effect on Max. I'm going to take a shower."

"Yeah, but at least now you aren't trying to relax or something. Enjoy your shower, Bones."

Thirty minutes later Brennan smiled as she walked into the bedroom, Max was laying on Booth's chest with his t-shirt bunched in his fists, father and son were sound asleep. After taking a picture, she quietly left the bedroom.


	37. Chapter 37 Crawl

A/N: This one should be before 'Hell' but I skiped it when I uploaded

Brennan stood by the front door quietly taking her coat off while she listened to Max and Gracie laugh as they climbed and played on Booth who was laying on the floor letting him use him as their personal jungle gym. "Hi Booth. Hi Max. Hi Gracie."

Booth turned his head and smiled, "hey Bones we're having fun!"

"I can see that." Gracie slid off her dad and started to crawl toward her mom. "Booth when did she start crawling?"

"This afternoon, Max took a toy she was playing with and ran off. Gracie took off and chased him down and got the toy back! I tried to video it, but I was laughing too much."

Brennan smiled and picked Gracie up, "good job, sweetheart I'm so proud of you." By now Booth was standing close to Brennan holding Max.

"Booth, I'm relieved she finally started to crawl. She's been slightly behind reaching her milestones, but crawling is the one she's been behind the farthest on so far."

"I know. The important thing is she's crawling. Before we know it she'll be walking and we'll both be going crazy trying to keep up with her and Max.

"At least we won't be outnumbered and Christine can help us…"

"That is true…"


	38. Chapter 38 Hug

A/N: Eh, I don't know if I like how this turned out. Christine's thoughts…

Christine didn't understand why her daddy didn't stay at their house with her and mommy anymore. Anytime she would ask her mommy or daddy why he wasn't staying there anymore they would just say he had a lot of work to do and it was better if he didn't stay with them while he was working. Christine didn't really believe them, her mommy was sad, and if her daddy was just working mommy shouldn't be sad. She knew this was something different because mommy didn't get sad until after that man came to the house. After the man came mommy made her stay at Grandpa Max's house, that wasn't as fun as it usually was because Grandpa Max acted nervous the whole time. When Grandpa Max dropped her off the next night before bed, that's when she noticed daddy wasn't home and her mommy looked like she'd been crying. Christine didn't like only seeing her daddy for a little while before bed, she liked it best when he picked her up from school and they went to the ice cream shop for small scoops that they didn't tell mommy about. Or when they came home and made surprise dinners for mommy. Getting the toys she wanted to play when daddy came over to play and put her to bed out, Christine walked over to couch and gave her mommy a hug before climbing up on it to wait on her daddy.


	39. Chapter 39 Burn

It was a cool rainy day, Brennan was taking the first pan of chocolate chip cookies that she and Christine were baking from the oven. Brennan set the pan on the cooling rack to cool for a minute before she took the cookies off. After a few minutes Brennan began to take the cookies off the sheet pan.

"Mommy, can I do it?"

"Yes, but be very careful the pan is still hot, you might burn yourself if you touch it."

"Okay." Brennan handed Christine spatula and held the pan as the little girl slid the spatula under the cookie and slowly lifted up. Before she could move the spatula a few inches to put the cookie on another cooling rack Booth's hand swooped down and took the cookie off the spatula.

"DADDY!"

"What?"

"You stole my cookie!"

"I Did? I didn't see your name on it."

"Daddy, you know what I meant."

Booth chuckled, "you're doing a good job, Christine."

"Thank you."

Booth kissed the top of her head, "I won't steal anymore of your cookies."

"Good."

Booth reached over Christine and got a cookie Brennan had placed on the cooling rack. "Booth!"

"What? Do we have milk?"

"You're impossible you know that? The milk is in the door of the refrigerator."


	40. Chapter 40 Kiss

A/N: This one is pre Christine …

Brennan unlocked the door of Booth's apartment witch they now shared. Once she was over the threshold she was met with sensory overload, Booth had taken the day off and decorated the small apartment with every single Christmas decoration he could find. An eight and a half foot tall pine tree stood in the corner waiting to be decorated.

"Bones, perfect timing dinner is almost done then afterwards we can decorate the tree together."

"Sounds great, Booth. Although I don't know how much help I will be when it comes to decorating, seeing as I can no longer bend over or stretch very well. The apartment looks great by the way."

"Thanks Bones. That's okay you can sit on the couch and hand me each ornament as you unwrap it."

"That I can do."

"Good. Bones look up."

Brennan looked up and smiled a little, "theirs's a sprig of mistletoe over my head…"

"Yep, you know what that means?"

"Um-hum." Booth took a few steps to Brennan and the kissed deeply. When Brennan finally broke the kiss, she smiled at Booth. "I enjoyed that mistletoe kiss much more than our first one…"

"Why?"

"Because now I don't have to wonder if I'll ever be able to kiss you again…"

"Bones, if you wanted to kiss me again that day or any other all you had to do was ask…"

"Booth, can I kiss you again?"

"Absolutely…" 


	41. Chapter 41 Mute

Booth sat down next to Brennan and picked up the remote control. "Booth, you had better watch the baseball game on mute. I just got Gracie to sleep and if the TV wakes her up it's your turn…"

Booth muted the sound and turned on the closed caption, before turning to Brennan "Bones, I'm sorry she's still not sleeping at night. I wish I could do something other walk her around and hand her to you."

"Me too. We're going to try you giving her a bottle again tomorrow. She needs to get used to them so I can go back to work. I love our kids very much, but I miss the lab just as much…"

"I know. I hope she takes a bottle soon, so at least you can get some more sleep at night."

"That would be great…" Booth turned Brennan so she was laying on him and started rubbing her shoulders. "You can turn the volume up a little, Booth…"

"Nah, it's okay, I don't need sound to know the Phillies are getting their asses kicked." Brennan chuckled and settled into a more comfortable position. By the second inning Booth noticed Brennan's berating even out as she fell asleep. Booth turned off the TV and carefully pulled the blanket from the back of the couch and put it over Brennan. Then he said a prayer that Gracie would sleep for a few more hours so Brennan could get a little more sleep.


	42. Chapter 42 Suffocate

Booth and Brennan had been stuck in the elevator at the FBI for ten minutes.

"Booth, I need to get out of here, it feels like the walls are closing in on me and I'm going to suffocate to death."

Booth put his forehead to Brennan's, "Bones, your fine, just breathe slowly. I called maintenance, they're working on it." Brennan nodded. Booth smiled slightly as Brennan's breathing returned to normal.

"After the grave digger dark enclosed spaces cause me to panic."

Totally understandable, Bones. I'm not fond of them myself either now."

"When we were stuck at your apartment I didn't have that much of a problem because the elevator was open some and we were able to talk to Sweets. Max wants scrambled eggs for dinner and bagels…" Brennan chuckled.

"Sounds good to me, we have all kinds of veggies and things we can put in them. Plus it's easy to fix, and after today we need something easy." Booth gently kissed Brennan. "I love you."

"I love you too, Booth." A little over an hour later Booth and Brennan quickly exited the broken elevator and took the stairs to the parking garage.


	43. Chapter 43 Punch

The green numbers on Booth's bedside clock glowed 10:59pm, he smiled slightly when he heard Christine enter the house. She wasn't late, she was just using every minute of her 11pm Friday night curfew. The smile was erased when he heard her stumbling up the stairs, he got up and went into the hall.

"Christine Angela Booth, have you been drinking?" Booth wasn't yelling, but only because he didn't want to wake Brennan, Max, or Gracie.

"Only punch…"

"How much of this 'punch' did you drink?"

'Two glasses, it was really sweet…" Booth saw the color drain from Christine's face and quickly got her into the bathroom. While Christine was getting rid of her punch, Booth went into the hallway to wait. Brennan came out of their bedroom a few minutes later. "Booth, everything okay? I thought I heard someone getting sick." Brennan glanced in the bathroom and turned to go to Christine.

"She's drunk Bones, not sick." Brennan turned to Booth, he continued, "I don't think she intended to get dunk, but she's drunk none the less. It sounds like someone spiked the punch at the party and added a bunch of sugar to hide the alcohol taste… she said she had two glasses and it was really sweet..." Brennan nodded and went into the bathroom, she wet a rag and filled a paper cup with water, handling them to Christine who was leaning against the tub. Brennan left the room to stand by Booth. "Are you okay, Booth?"

"Yes. Christine is not going anywhere, but school and her job for a very long time. I'm also taking her phone for a month and she has to babysit Friday night while you and I go on a date."

"Sounds fair to me."

"I can handle Christine, Bones go back to bed."

Brennan nodded and kissed Booth's cheek. After a few more minutes Booth went into the bathroom and pulled Christine to her feet, he hooked an arm around her waist to keep her upright as they walked to her bedroom. "I'm sorry, daddy…"

"I know. Let's get you in bed you'll feel better in the morning…"

A/N this probably will continue at some point


	44. Chapter 44 Exile

"Man, I can't believe I have to live in exile! I can't believe Angie threw me out! "

"Hodgins, you blew a hole in the side of your house!"

"So did you, actually you blew multiple holes in your house and had assassins chase you. Dr. B. didn't kick you out…"

"I was in prison. it's hard to kick somebody out of your house when they aren't there to begin with…"

"She made us get you out there! And then she let you come home, she wasn't even the tiniest bit pissed at you for it."

"Bones was pissed at me for it, but we talked and by the time I got out she had dealt with her anger…"

"Still it isn't fair!"

Booth laughed, "Hodgins, it's fair. My blowing multiple holes in my house was in the defense of myself, my family, and my house… Not because I was playing 'mad scientist' in the basement…"

"Don't get hung up on technicalities, Booth! You think Brennan will be able to calm Angie down?"

"I don't know, Bones is good, but this is really BAD Hodgins… you'd better hope Ange doesn't tell Billy, no telling what he'll do when he finds out how close he came to losing his only child and grandson…"

"OH MY GOD, Billy! Can I stay here tonight?

"Nope, Bones just texted, she's on her way home with Ange and Michael Vincent. You'd better get out of here before Ange sees you… Bones says she's still pissed…"


	45. Chapter 45 Plead

"Please mom can't I go? All my friends will be there…"

"No."

"But mom-"

"No Christine, I don't care how well you plead your case the answer is still no. You may go to Amber's birthday party and stay until 10pm but your dad will pick you up after that. We're not letting you stay for the sleepover with boys present..."

"The boys will be in the basement with her dad. The girls will be upstairs in her room, nothing will happen…"

"Christine, Amber's dad can sleep through anything! He wouldn't hear anyone going upstairs or coming down!"

"Everybody is going skating af'ter breakfast."

"Your dad will take you back for breakfast and skating,"

"It'd be easier if I could just stay all night…"

"No."

"I'm gonna go talk to daddy…"

"I wouldn't do that if you want to still go to the party. Your dad didn't want to let you go at all because of boys also being invited. You going for the birthday party and coming home then going back for the rest of the activities is the only way he'd let you attend at all."

"Fine…It's still not fair though!"


	46. Chapter 46 Strong

A/N: Set in season ten after Booth moves back into the house.

Brennan had just sat down from putting 3 week old Max down for the night when her phone rang.

"Brennan."

"Bones, can you come get me?

"Booth, where are you?"

"I'm at my old poker game. I've been sitting in the parking lot for almost an hour. I don't want to go in, but I don't want to leave either."

"Let me call dad to stay with the kids and I'll be there soon."

"Okay."

"I love you, Booth."

"Love you too, Bones."

Brennan hung up and called Max once he was on his way she called Aubrey to go with her and drive Booth's SUV home. Forty minutes later Brennan parked her car next to Booth's and got out going around to his side.

"Booth?"

"Bones. You brought Aubrey?"

"He's going to drive your SUV home. Let's go home and relax." Booth nodded and opened the door and slid out of the SUV and let Brennan lead him to her passenger seat.

Once Brennan pulled in to traffic Booth said in a whisper, "I'm weak, Bones. I'm married to the love of my life. I have three fantastic kids. I got a second chance after I screwed up and put my family in danger. I have a job I love and what did I do? I almost threw all of it away for a lousy poker game! I couldn't even come home by myself I had to call you to come get me…"

"Booth, you are NOT weak, you are strong. You've been sober for 56 days I know how much strength it has taken for you to do that. I am very proud of you Booth. Tonight was just a moment of weakness, but the important thing is that you didn't start gambling again and called me to come get you."

"Yeah, I guess. Thanks for coming and getting me Bones."

"You're welcome Booth." The rest of the ride went by in silence. Aubrey followed Brennan up the steps of their house and handed her Booth's keys. "It's going to be okay, Dr. Brennan. Booth wants to get better."

"I know. Thanks Aubrey."

"Anytime."

After they'd been home a few minutes the doorbell rang and Brennan let Booth's sponsor in.

"Gavin what are you doing here?'

"Temperance called me when she was on her way to get you and I thought you might need to talk, just the two of us, no group…"

"Yeah…" Gavin sat across from Booth, Brennan left the room. Once Gavin left Brennan handed Max to Booth. "He needs to burp."

"I can do that. Thanks for calling Gavin, Bones."

"You're welcome, Booth. Put him in bed whenever you're ready."


	47. Chapter 47 Defenseless

"Can we get ice cream?"

"We have a freezer full of ice cream at home."

"So? We're not at home we're out shopping and I want ice cream!"

"We're going to dinner at Angela's in an hour and a half…"

"I'll be hungry again by then…"

Booth looked over at her and almost burst out laughing at her 'puppy dog' eyes that he was defenseless to resist. "Okay, what do you want?"

"Mint chocolate chip."

"Okay." Booth went up to the counter and ordered a small scoop of mint chocolate chip in a cup and a small scoop of dark cherry ice cream for himself and a quart of mint chocolate chip and a quart of chocolate peanut butter to go.

"Here you go, Bones." He handed Brennan her scoop of ice cream and a spoon.

"Thanks Booth."

"You're welcome, Bones. Enjoy it, but don't blame me when the little guy keeps you up all night doing gymnastics on one of your organs because he's all hyped up on sugar… "

"I won't Booth…"


	48. Chapter 48 Discover

Brennan was at a meeting with her publisher. Christine was at Angela and Hodgins' house playing with Michael Vincent. Max and Gracie were napping in their rooms. Booth was catching up on paperwork and watching baseball in his man cave. Booth's concentration was broken by Max's loud giggles coming through the baby monitor curious he headed upstairs and down to Max's room. Nothing could have prepared him for what he was about discover when he opened the door.

"Maxwell Joseph Booth, what did you do?" at hearing his dad's voice Max turned his head and giggled at Booth.

"Climbing out of your crib and shimmying down the side then getting the extra-large can of baby powder from the shelf under the changing table and somehow opening it and dumping it everywhere isn't funny mister!" Booth carefully walked over to Max and took the now empty can from him and then picked him up.

"What are we going to do about this mess little man?"

"Booth, I'm home!"

"Crap, mommy is going to kill me…" Booth heard Brennan come up the stairs.

"Hi… Booth what happened here?"

"Max climbed out of his crib and shimmied down the side. Then he got the can of baby powder open and dumped it everywhere…"

"I'm going to go check on Gracie then I'll take him and get him cleaned up while you try to clean this up. Try vacuuming it up, but get a mask from my bag before you start you don't want to inhale all the dust."

"Sounds good, Bones."


	49. Chapter 49 Action

"Rebecca, I want to see Parker more now that you're both back in the States."

"Seeley, your visitation schedule is fine. It's what we've had for years, it never bothered you before."

"No, Becca it always did bother me, only seeing him 4 days out of the month. I didn't push you that much because I wasn't in a good place when you left. But now I have Bones, Christine and Max. I'm in a really good place now. Yeah I had that gambling relapse 6 months ago, and I can't say that it won't happen again, but I'm working through it every day, Bones and the kids help me keep going…"

"Your hours are so crazy though…"

"Yeah, but now I have Aubrey working with me and I delegate more. Plus my new position is more administrative I am usually home by 5:00 now, Bones is more like 6 -6:30."

"Still…"

"Becca, I don't want to take legal action and put you and Parker through that, but if I have to I will..."

"Okay. How about every other weekend, 3pm Friday thru 6pm Sunday. Every other holiday except I get every Mother's Day and you every Father's Day. 6 weeks in the summer, half of Spring break and every other 'no school' day. Plus he can stay with you Monday, Wednesday and every Friday that isn't yours from 3 until 6."

"Sounds great to me Rebecca, thanks."

"You're welcome Seeley. I'll have someone at the firm write it up and you can sign it when you come pick Parker up on Friday. We can start the new arrangement Monday."

"Great!"


	50. Chapter 50 Sport

"A/N: I'm back after a few days off. My plan is to post a lot tonight and tomorrow as I have to be up at the crack of dawn to wait on the washer repair man who will be here between 8am and 5pm tomorrow. I'm also half way through the 100 prompts…

"Daddy, where are you going?" Booth turned and smiled at Christine.

"I'm going to go play hockey with Wendell and some other friends."

"Can I come? I wanna play!"

Booth let his bag slide off his shoulder as he knelt down. "Not tonight Christine, this is just for adults. I'll take you tomorrow and you and I can play, ok?"

"Okay." Booth kissed her cheek and left the house. A few hours later Booth sat down next to Brennan. "Did you have a good game?"

"Yeah, we beat the crap out of the public defenders team…"

"That's good. Sorry we weren't there, Max is only 10 days old I don't want to take him out to a cold rink yet. Plus I'm still not feeling 100 percent yet."

"It's fine Bones. I reserved the ice tomorrow, Christine wants to play. I talked to Wendell he's coming and so is one of the other players, Kevin-"

"Booth, I don't like that she wants to play hockey at all, but I let her play with you and Wendell because I know the two of you will make sure she doesn't get hurt. I don't like the idea of her playing with someone else."

"Kevin has kids of his own that he plays with all the time, so he won't be rough with her. He might bring his kids. I just thought it'd be more fun to have other people to for her to play against and more than likely beat. She's scary good at hockey Bones, way better than Parker and I were at 4 ½. You know they have a girl's junior hockey team at the rink maybe we should sign her up?"

"No, Booth. Christine can play any sport she wants other than hockey and football…"

The next afternoon Christine was dressed in full pads and a helmet, beating Booth and Wendell and Kevin badly. While Kevin's two kids tried to keep up with her. Booth turned and noticed Angela standing at the entrance to the ice filming the carnage. As they were changing Booth got a text:

 _Ange showed me the video, Christine is quite good. Go ahead and sign her up for the girl's team if she wants to play._

 _"Hey Angel, do you want to play hockey on a team for little girls your age?"_

"Yeah, that would be so much fun, daddy!"

"Let's go get you signed up!"


	51. Chapter 51 Memorable

"Well Bones, we had a memorable date night tonight, but it wasn't memorable like I had planned it.

"I know. our dinner out and our walk around the Mall was great until Angela called to tell us that Gracie stuck peas up her nose and they were headed to the E.R."

"I didn't think she could stick three peas up each side…"

"Me either even though they were small peas." Brennan kissed the top of Gracie's head as she finally slept in her arms.

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she finally calmed down and fell asleep."

"That's good. I'm just glad she calmed down enough when she saw us so they didn't have to sedate her."

"Me too. I'm also glad that you were able to hold her still so they didn't have to restrain her. "

"Me too. She's really strong for a one year old. I think my promising ice cream and a princess movie marathon tomorrow had something to do with her being still though."

"It worked that's the important thing."

'Yeah. You know this is the first time I've been to the E.R. with any of the kids…"

"Let's hope it's the last…"

"Mr. Booth, if you'll sign here and here, you and your wife can take your little girl home." Booth took the clipboard from the nurse and signed where she indicated. Five minutes later Gracie was strapped in her car seat and was headed home.

A/N: As we all know this wasn't the first and last ER trip with one of the kids for Booth. Christine ended up there in 'slip'


	52. Chapter 52 Die

Christine climbed on the couch next to Booth. "Daddy, why did Uncle Sweets die?"

Booth placed Christine in his lap, "Angel, Uncle Sweets died because some bad men didn't want him to find out what they were doing."

"Why not?"

"Because if he found out he'd have to tell me so I could put the bad men in jail."

"Oh did it hurt?"

"No. Mommy and I were there with him the whole time."

"Good. Daddy, are you gonna die?" Christine's eyes were glassy with tears threating to fall and her lip trembled.

"No. Not for a very, very long time…" Booth started rubbing Christine's back when he felt hot tears start to hit his shirt.

"It's okay, Christine."

"I don't want you to die like Uncle Sweets did, you get bad people all the time…"

"Sweetheart, I'm not going to die until I'm really, really old…"

"Promise?"

"I Promise."

"Okay. I love you, daddy."

"I love you, too Christine. Let's just sit here for a little while all right?"

"K." Booth pulled the blanket from the back of the couch and draped it over Christine, then he continued rubbing her back. A little while later Booth smiled a bit when Christine's breathing evened out into sleep.


	53. Chapter 53 Missing

As soon as Booth opened the door of his house he was met by Max. "Daddy, Scruffy is missing!"

"He is? When did you last see him?"

"I asked mommy if I could have a juice box, she said yes. I put Scruffy on the couch cuz I can't hold him when I have a juice box… I came back and Scruffy was gone!"

"We'll find him, come on." Booth picked Max up and headed to the living room. After looking under and behind all the furniture and in the toy bin it was apparent that Scruffy wasn't in the living room. Grabbing a photo of Max and Scruffy off the book case, Booth headed for the kitchen. "Bones, have you seen the stuffed dog in this photo recently?'

"Not since about 1:30, when Max asked for a juice box."

"Thanks." Brennan nodded and smiled as Booth checked under all the chairs, opened every cabinet and drawer, and looked in the refrigerator and oven. Booth's next stop was Gracie's room, "Gracie, have you seen the dog in this photo recently?" Booth gave Gracie the picture. "No daddy/"

"Okay, I'm going to look around in here to make sure he's not hiding somewhere, okay?'

"K." After a quick search of Gracie's closet and toy box and a peek under the bed Booth came up empty. After preforming the same search in Max's room and getting the same result, Booth move on to Christine's room. "Christine, have you seen the dog in this photo recently?" Booth gave Christine the picture. "No dad."

"Okay, I'm going to look around in here to make sure he's not hiding somewhere, okay?'

"I guess." After a quick search of Christine's closet and toy box and a peek under the bed Booth came up empty.

"Daddy, we're never gonna find scruffy!"

"We will buddy, we have a lot places to look still." Booth kissed the top of Max's head. "Let's go look in the laundry room."

"K." Booth went down the hall and opened the door, his first stop was the washer, when he opened the door Max's slightly bedraggled stuffed dog stared back at him. "SCRUFFY! Daddy, you found scruffy! Thanks."

"You're welcome, Buddy." Booth handed Scruffy to Max and smiled as he ran off to find Brennan.

Booth closed the door and went to Christine's room. "Christine, why did you put Scruffy in the washer?"

"I didn't-"

"Don't lie, you're the only one besides your mom and me that can squeeze the child lock on the laundry room door hard enough to open it."

"I thought it'd be funny."

"It wasn't, your brother was almost in tears."

"Sorry."

'You need to apologize to your brother too, but not right now, he's really happy and I don't want you to ruin that."

"Okay,"


	54. Chapter 54 Luck

That was a REALLY close call, Booth."

"I know. I never saw the gun, just the bullet coming at you. Luckily the guy was a bad shot and hit the pillar instead of you."

"Yes..."

"Lucky, I'm an excellent shot and was able to stop him before he tried again. I don't know what I'd have done if you'd been hurt or worse, Bones..."

"I'm very thankful that you were able to stop any further attempts on my life by the suspect, Booth. Though I doubt it was luck that allowed you to do that and more the years of skill, training, and practice that allowed you to accomplish that feat."

"It was partly the years of skill, training, and practice that allowed me to accomplish that feat, but it was mostly luck, Bones."

Brennan smiled, "whatever you say, Booth... Can we go home? I want to hug the kids, have dinner and get them to bed hopefully early so I can relax."

"Sure, Bones. How about we get Chinese for dinner?"

"That sounds good to me." Brennan pulled her sleeve over the bandage covering the stitches she got when the doctor removed a chunk of the pillar that lodged itself in her forearm.

"How's your arm?"

"It hurts, but the medication is helping."

"Good." Booth put his arm around Brennan as she leaned into him and led her out of the emergency room. 


	55. Chapter 55 Rescue

Booth sleepily grabbed for his phone, "Booth."

"Daddy, can you come get me?"

Booth sat up, "Gracie, where are you?"

"I'm at the Oasis bar in Georgetown. I went out with Allison and Sarah to celebrate Sarah's 21st birthday. They met some guys and left with them. I had to use the thirty I brought with me for a cab just in case I needed one to pay their tab. The bartender wouldn't let me go outside to call you until I paid. I haven't had anything to drink other than a cherry coke, dad I swear!"

"I believe you Gracie. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Okay. I don't want to hang up…"

"You don't have to. Hold on while I tell mom."

"Booth, what's wrong with Gracie?"

"Nothing she went out with Sarah and Allison for Sarah's 21st and they met some guys and went off with them, leaving Gracie stranded. She had to use her emergency cab money to pay their tab. I'm going to go rescue her. I'll be home in a while." Booth pulled on that day's jeans and t-shirt and stuffed his bare feet in his shoes.

"Okay. "Forty minutes later Gracie climbed in the SVU. "Are you okay Gracie?"

"Yeah. I'm not talking to Sarah or Allison ever again... Can you take me home? Not to my dorm, home with you and mom?"

"Sure Princess. Need anything else while we're out?"

"Food, I didn't get anything to eat at the bar."

"Okay." An hour later Gracie entered the house in front of Booth with a burger and fries. Brennan was up waiting. "Booth?"

"She asked to come home. She's fine, she didn't drink. Let her eat and get some sleep and we'll talk about it in the morning."

"Okay."


	56. Chapter 56 Abort

"Mommy, I wanna get off the plane!"

"I know, me too. We should be landing soon. Make sure all your stuff is in your bag so we can get off when it's our turn."

"Okay." Christine stuffed her crayons and activity books in her backpack and zipped it up.

An hour later Christine spotted Booth waiting for them and ran to him. "Daddy!"

Booth scoped Christine up, "hi Angel, are you okay?"

"No…" Christine buried her head in Booth's shoulder. Brennan stood in front of him with Max in her arms. "We experienced a lot of turbulence during the flight and at one point Christine got extremely air sick. Max didn't like it, but he didn't get sick. The pilot also had to abort the landing and circle the airport for twenty minutes while air traffic cleared so we could land." Brennan gave Booth a kiss.

"Aw Christine." Booth rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head. "I was going to see if everyone wanted to stop for lunch, but I think going home for a nap would be a better idea."

"A nap sounds good. We can go out for dinner tonight." Booth nodded and shifted Christine's weight so he could grab the handle of her suitcase and her backpack and lead the way out of the airport.


	57. Chapter 57 Possessed

"Maxwell Joseph Booth, what possessed you to climb that tree after your dad and I have told you numerous times not to?" Brennan not too gently applied antiseptic to Max's skinned elbow.

"Ow! Tommy dared me to. He said if I didn't I was a baby! I'm not a baby, I'm almost eight…"

"You're right, you're not a baby, but that doesn't mean you can climb the tree. You could have gotten seriously hurt if you fell."

"But I didn't fall. I got half way up the tree!"

"I'm very glad you didn't fall, Max. No more climbing trees, if you went to climb things we can look into indoor rock climbing."

'Really?"

"Yes, I'll have to talk to your dad, but I think he'll be all for it."

"Cool." Brennan smiled and gently applied antiseptic and a Band-Aid to Max's other elbow.

Later that night Brennan turned to Booth, "Max climbed half way up the old tree again…"

"I figured that's what the Band-Aids were from. I need to cut it down anyway before we get high winds and it falls…"

"I agree. I told Max if he really wanted to climb on things that we'd look into indoor rock climbing. He seemed really excited by the idea. I thought we could make it a family activity."

"That sounds great to me, Bones. You know Christine will do it. Gracie might be a little scared at first."

"I know, I thought that if she really doesn't want to do it she and I can check out the gymnastics studio that isn't too far from the place."

"Perfect."


	58. Chapter 58 Graveyard

"Booth, I don't see what good being here at the graveyard will do. Dad is gone and nothing will change that."

"I know being here won't change the fact that your dad is gone, but it will give you a chance to say goodbye. You need that…"

"Yeah…" Brennan looked down at the flowers in her lap. Booth put his hand on top of hers.

"Ready?"

"I guess."

Booth went to Brennan's side of the SUV and waited for her to get out. They slowly made their way to Max's final resting spot alongside his wife. Brennan knelt down and placed the flowers between Max and Christine Brennan's headstones. Booth moved to stand to the side so that Brennan could have privacy, but she grabbed his hand, pulling him to her. Booth put his arm around Brennan, giving her a light squeeze.

"Dad, I don't know what to say except that I miss you very, very much. I'm sorry for not allowing you into my life again sooner than I did. I know that probably hurt you… it's not fair that you're gone. I love you so much. Goodbye, dad."

Booth gently and silently wiped Brennan's tears away. Brennan stood there for a long time not saying anything. Booth didn't say anything he just held Brennan and let her cry it out.


	59. Chapter 59 Trail

A/N: Parker is 17 or 18 in this one

"Mommy, Daddy, we're home!" Max stepped through the door and picked up Booth's t-shirt. He turned to Parker, "Parker why'd daddy leave his shirt on the floor? Mommy's gonna be mad if she finds it." Parker took the shirt from Max and looked around Christine and Gracie and saw the trail of clothes leading from the front door towards the bedrooms. "Eh, let's go see another movie guys and then we'll go to the diner and then the ice cream place…"

"I wanted to tell mommy and daddy about the movie…"

"You can tell them about both movies, dinner and your ice cream later…." Parker tossed Booth's shirt on the floor and tuned Max around and quietly closed the door behind him.

"Why not now?"

"Because mommy and daddy are busy doing… stuff."

"What stuff?"

"Mommy and daddy stuff…"

"Is that why daddy left his shirt on the floor?"

"Yep, daddy left his shirt on the floor because he and mommy were doing stuff."

"I hope mommy doesn't get mad at daddy because he left his shirt on the floor…"

"Trust me she won't get mad… Gracie, what movie should we see now?"


	60. Chapter 60 Walk

"Mommy, carry me!" Max held his arms up.

"Max, you have to walk I'm carrying Gracie."

"No!"

"You can hold Christine's hand instead of mine if you want."

"No, I want you to carry me, not Gracie!" Brennan sighed, she'd stopped at the mall to exchange an outfit Christine got for her birthday for a bigger size and didn't bring the stroller. For the past month and a half whenever they went somewhere Max refused to sit in it. Brennan didn't feel like dealing with it for what would be a no more than thirty minute trip. Max had walked across the parking lot and in the store fine, but as soon as they cleared the door of the store he'd demanded to be carried.

"Max, you're a big boy, you can walk in the store."

"No!"

Brennan adjusted Gracie and knelt down, "Max if you walk like a big boy I'll get you a cookie on the way home. Plus once we get home I'll hold you as long as you want."

"Okay." Brennan stood up and smiled when Max grabbed her hand. An hour later Brennan was holding Max as he ate his chocolate chip cookie.


	61. Chapter 61 Plunge

"Bones, Deputy Director Stark talked to me today."

"Really?"

"Yeah, the Assistant Deputy Director position is open again, he wants me to take it…"

"Are you going to?"

"Yeah, I think I'm going to take the plunge and do it. I mean you cut way back on fieldwork after Max was born and quit completely after Gracie was born. I gotta be honest, I don't enjoy it as much as I did. Plus I'm getting too old to chase idiotic fools who think they can out run me. It's time to let Aubrey and your squintern of the week handle all that stuff."

"I think it's a good decision, Booth. You are getting older and the physical nature of the job is taking more of a toll on your body every day, specifically your bones and joints."

"Bones, it's not that bad…"

"I know it takes you at least ten minutes of flexing your feet before you can stand up every morning…"

"Yeah, my feet are getting worse, the docs told me that would probably happen though…"

"Still you should minimize wear and tear where you can…"

"I wonder if I can take my char with me."

"I'll write you a doctor's note if you think it will help…"

Booth laughed and kissed Brennan, "you know those conference room chairs are going to kill my back…"

"I'll get you a lumbar support cushion as an office warming gift."

"Thanks Bones."


	62. Chapter 62 Jump

"Max and Gracie, please don't jump on the bed anymore."

"Why not? It's fun!"

"Because you could fall off and hurt yourselves or you could break the bed, they're not made for jumping on."

"Okay, we won't jump on the bed anymore, mommy."'

"Thank you." Brennan stood up and kissed Max and Gracie's foreheads before heading downstairs. Twenty minutes later Brennan heard the bed springs squeak she sighed and headed upstairs. She just got to Gracie's room in time to see her jump up loose her balance and smack Max in the face with her arm. It took Max a few seconds to realize his nose was bleeding, but once he did the crying started. Brennan picked him up and headed for the bathroom. "Shh Max you're okay."

A few minutes later Max was sitting on the bathroom counter while Brennan worked on stopping his nose from bleeding.

"Mommy?"

Brennan looked over and saw a scared looking Gracie standing in the doorway. "What Gracie?"

"I didn't mean to hit Max, it was an ask-i-dent…"

"I know it was an accident, Gracie. Do you both see why I told you not to jump on the bed?"

"Yes."

"And you'll never do it again right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

A few minters later Max and Gracie were sitting on the couch watching a movie.


	63. Chapter 63 Self-conscious

""I can't believe I had to get glasses!"

"Bones, glasses aren't bad, lots of smart people wear glasses."

"Still they make my face look funny…."

"They do not, you look sexy in them…"

Brennan bushed a little, "Booth stop!"

"What? They do, now I can have my own sexy librarian fantasy anytime I want…" he started to kiss Brennan after a few seconds, the kiss deepened into something more. "The kids are downstairs…"

"So? Dinner is ready in the crockpot and the salad is made and in the refrigerator. Christine can serve it…"

"But dinner with the kids is one of my favorite times of the day…"

"Okay, fine, but we're picking up where we left off later…"

'We will I promise…"

"Good. Seriously, Bones don't be self-conscious about your glasses they do look good on you."

Brennan smiled, "thanks, Booth."

"You're welcome, Bones."

"MOM, DAD CAN WE EAT NOW?"

Brennan and Booth laughed and headed down the stairs. "We're coming, Christine!"


	64. Chapter 64 Suspicious

Brennan was suspicious as she entered the house; it was quiet, too quiet to be home to three children, two of whom were under 10. She didn't call out, she loved watching Booth with the kids and she didn't want to disturb that. Brennan found everybody upstairs in her and Booth's bed. Christine and Gracie we cuddled in to Booth's sides and Max was in his lap, all three kids were sleeping.

"Hey."

"Hey Bones. Everybody under 12 has a low grade fever, a cough, and sniffles. Max has all the above plus a sore throat. Everybody wanted to cuddle and be held, our bed is more comfortable than the couch."

"Why didn't you call me?"

"They all woke up with it this morning, if you weren't coming home today I would've. I think they all got cold after the waterpark Friday night. We took dry clothes and they changed right after we got done before the fireworks."

"I believe you, Booth it just happened. Give me 15 minutes to change and I'll hold Max." Booth nodded and felt Max's forehead. Fifteen minutes later Brennan lifted Max off Booth and climbed in bed, "Mommy, my throat hurts."

"I know buddy, go back to sleep." Brennan kissed Max's cheek. Christine stirred seeing that Brennan was home she attempted to crawl over Booth and Gracie to be next to her.

"Hold on Christine, I think it'd be better if mom sat in the middle and you and I laid next to her."  
Booth got up and traded places with Brennan so that he was on her right side holding Gracie and Christine was laying on her left. Once everybody settled down Booth looked at Brennan and smiled, "it's a good thing we have a king size bed…"


	65. Chapter 65 Mistake

B"Bones, I think I made a mistake."

Brennan looked up from her grocery list, "what do you think you made a mistake about, Parker?"

"Asking mom if I could live with you and dad now that we're in the States again. They've been fighting on the phone for an hour. Last time they fought like that was when mom told dad we were moving to England."

"Do you want to live with us still?"

"Yeah. I missed everybody so much when we were there. I've never really gotten to be a big brother. In the 7 years we lived there, I only saw you guys maybe once a year. I'm going off to college next year and after that who knows what will happen or what I'll do."

"Then it wasn't a mistake, your dad and mom will work it out. Your mom might be displeased with the arrangement they come up with, but she'll learn to adjust like your dad did when you moved to England."

"Yeah but I still feel bad about it."

"Don't, none of is your fault. Your mom and dad will work it out into something that works for everyone."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Mommy, can Parker play with me outside?"

"Sure, Christine, if he wants to."

"Parker, do you wanna play outside with me?'

"Sure." Parker slid off the stool he was sitting on and picked Christine up and tossed her over his shoulder and headed outside.


	66. Chapter 66 Complicated

A/N: This might be my last one for a bit I'm taking my annual 'vacation' with a stack of books.

"Dad, how come you and mom didn't get my pictures taken then I was four and five months old, but you got them done for the other 10 months?"

Booth turned off the TV and looked at Christine, "Come sit by me…" Christine got off the floor and sat next to Booth. "The explanation is complicated, but the simple answer is you weren't here to get them done. Neither was your mom."

"Where was I?"

"You and your mom were running from the law, the FBI specifically…"

"From you?"

"No, no." Booth pulled Christine close and kissed the top of her head. "We had a case, a computer hacker genius psychopath killer, killed a former colleague and friend of your mom's and manipulated the evidence to make it look like she killed him."

"She didn't did she?"

"No, of course not. Your mother would NEVER kill anyone in less they were harming me, you, Parker, Max or Gracie."

"If mom didn't kill anyone and you knew the evidence was manipulated why did we have to leave?"

"Your mom left because we all knew the evidence was manipulated, but we couldn't PROVE to the FBI that was. It took Aunt Angela the whole time the two of you were gone to prove that the evidence was manipulated. In the end mom helped us out while she was on the run…"

"Weren't you with us?"

"No if I'd known where your mom was legally I would have had to arrest her for murder and place her in jail. If I'd done that your mom would have been killed by the psychopath. Grandpa took the both of you into hiding to keep you safe until your mom was cleared. I found you and your mom a few days before she was cleared brought you both home."

"I don't really understand any of it…"

"That's okay Christine, it's been 11 years since then and I still don't understand it all."

"Is the psycho still alive?"

"No, he was killed almost a year later."

"You killed him didn't you?"

"Yes, he was going to kill your mom and I couldn't let that happen… don't tell your brother and sister about this, they're too young. Don't ask mom questions about it either, she still feels guilt over taking you with her, away from me."

"Why did she?"

"Because she didn't want something to happen to you."

"Oh."

A few hours' later Booth and Brennan were getting ready for bed, "Booth, do you have any idea why Christine looked sad before she went to bed tonight?"

"Yes, she was looking at her baby pictures and asked why the pictures for months four and five were missing. I gave her a very brief explanation of Pelant and what he did to us and told her not to ask you for any other details…"

"Booth, it can talk about it now, it's been 11 years."

"If you're sure, I think it'd help her understand more of what happened."

"I will tomorrow afternoon if you'll tale Max and Gracie out, they never need to know about it."

"Consider it done, Bones."

"Thank you."


	67. Chapter 67 Blackout

A/N: I'm taking a break from my books tonight and came up with this.

Gracie's preschool was closed for a teacher's training day so Booth had elected to stay home with her. They'd had fun despite the rain. They'd built a blanket fort in the living room, read stories, watched way more TV than Brennan allowed, had Pop's famous grilled cheese with tomato soup for lunch, had a tea party(or two), and skipped nap time, all in all it was the perfect day for a four year old. Now Gracie was taking her toys to her room before Brennan, Parker, Christine, and Max got home. She had just finished and was coming back into the living room when lightning flashed and the power went out. "DADDY!"

"It's okay, Gracie. Stay there and I'll come get you."

"K." Booth carefully took a few steps to Gracie and picked her up, then he carefully made his way to the couch and sat down. "I want mommy!"

"She'll be home soon with everybody."

"It's dark in here and I don't like it…"

"Let me go get a flashlight." Booth started to get up.

"No, daddy!"

"Okay Gracie Belle we'll both go get the flashlight." Booth and Gracie headed to the kitchen and got two flashlights. "Don't shine it in anyone's face, okay?"

"K." Thirty minutes later Brennan was home with bags of takeout." The blackout is going to last a while so I thought we'd have takeout tonight."

"That's perfect Bones." After dinner Gracie climbed up in Brennan's lap and fell asleep. "You let her skip naptime didn't you?"

Booth looked over and smiled, "yeah, it's Friday so no school tomorrow plus we mostly read and watched TV."

"Ah a classic,' home from school day with daddy day. Did you build a blanket fort and have Pop's grilled cheese too?"

"Yeah. It was a fun day, we had two tea parties too."

"Aww normally I'd be upset with you because she skipped a nap, but since the power is out and will likely be all night it will help with her fear of the dark. Just to be on the safe side we should put her in our room."

"Okay."

"Max too."

"You got it, Bones."


	68. Chapter 68 Reveal

"I can't believe we're having a boy, Bones!"

"I know, I'm quite excited! Angela says we should have a gender reveal party…"

"Do you want to have a gender reveal party?"

"No, I think having a party to specifically announce your unborn child's gender is kind of odd. I don't want everybody to know what we're having, do you?"

"No. let's do what we did with Christine, if people ask us what we're having we tell them if they don't ask we don't volunteer the information."

"I agree. Angela will insist on throwing a baby shower for me, which I guess wouldn't be so bad seeing as I gave Daisy most of Christine's baby things for Lance…"

"Tell her to plan something small this time. And I'm not playing those stupid games like guessing what candy bar is melted in a diaper…"

Brennan chuckled, "You don't even have to stay for it Booth. As long as you come to help me with getting things home when it's over."

"I can do that…"

"Thanks, Booth,"


	69. Chapter 69 Grotesque

A/N: Still at the books, but my sister needed my ninja like Google skills so I wrote while googling lol

Brennan was watching Booth's hockey game while Parker stayed home with Christine, Max, and Grace for a movie night since he was home from college for a long weekend. Booth lost his balance and slid a little but quickly got up and finished the last two minutes of the game. When he was done he walked over to Brennan, it was then she noticed he was holding his hand close to his body. "I think my finger is broken, Bones."

Booth held his hand up, Brennan winced slightly. "It's either broken or dislocated given the grotesque angle of your ring finger. You need to try to get your ring off before your finger swells much more."

"You do it."

"It's going to hurt."

"I can handle it."

Brennan nodded and started sliding the ring off, she got it off and put it in an evidence bag she had in her purse. Booth raised an eyebrow. "I keep a few bags and some gloves in my purse, I have for years. I never know when I'll need one. I'll help you with your shoes and then we can go to the emergency room."

"Okay."

An hour and a half later Brennan winced as the doctor popped Booth's finger back into place.

"Bones, after all the stuff you've seen and dealt with over the years, popping my finger back into place grosses you out?"

"Only because it's you, Booth."


	70. Chapter 70 Swim

"Mommy, can I go swim now?"

"No.'

"Why not? It's been a long time since lunch …" They'd had a late lunch/ early dinner so Parker could eat with them before Booth made the hour trip to Rebecca's house.

Brennan chuckled lightly, "because Max is too little to swim and I can't watch him and you at the same time. We'll have to wait for daddy to come home."

"But I wanna go now!" Christine started to stomp her feet.

"Christine Angela Booth, if you'd like to go swimming at all for the rest of the week, you need to stop right now!" Christine stopped mid stomp and shot a glance at 5 day old Max.

"By the time daddy gets home from taking Parker home it will be dark outside!"

"I can turn the sprinklers on and you can play in them if you want."

"I don't wanna play in the sprinklers! I wanna swim!" Christine flopped down on the couch and crossed her arms. Brennan let her be knowing that the little 'fit' she was throwing would be over sooner if she didn't acknowledge it Over an hour later Booth came home and saw Christine still pouting on the couch.

"What's the matter Christine?"

"I wanna go swimming, but mommy said we had to wait for you to come home to swim because Max is too little to swim and she couldn't watch him and me at the same time. Now you're home and it's too dark to swim!"

"It won't be too dark to swim if it turn the pool lights on…Go ask mommy to help you put your swimsuit on."

"Okay."

Twenty minutes later Brennan sat in a lounge chair with Max and watched Christine swim laps to Booth.


	71. Chapter Resign

"Mommy, I resign."

Brennan looked up and saw Gracie standing by the couch. "What are you resigning from, Gracie?"

"Cleaning my room. I don't have room for my toys so I can't clean them up anymore!"

Brennan smiled, "Come here, Gracie." Gracie walked over to Brennan and Brennan pulled her on to her lap. "I think it's time to go through your toys and get rid of the ones you don't play with anymore."

"No. I don't want to get rid of my toys!"

"Gracie, you don't have to get rid of them all, just the baby ones you haven't played with in a few years. Let's just go see what you have. We don't have to get rid of anything today."

"Okay." Brennan and Gracie headed for her room and began sorting her toys. A little while later Brennan quietly texted Booth and asked him to bring boxes in from the garage for the unwanted toys that after a little while Brennan was able to convince Grace to donate Good Will so that some other little girl could have as much fun with them as she did.

After a good portion of Gracie's toys were carefully put in boxes and carried to the back of Booth's SUV Brennan helped her straighten the remaining ones. After Gracie's room was cleaned Brennan moved on to Max's room to help him get rid of toys he no longer played with or wanted.


	72. Chapter 72Nonsense

"Daddy, Parker is makin' faces at me!"

"Parker, stop making faces at your sister." Booth didn't look up from his paper.

"Daddy he's still doing it!"

Booth put down his paper, "Parker Matthew Booth if you don't stop making faces at Christine your face will freeze like that, and let me tell you that isn't a good look to have on your face for the rest of your life…"

"Booth, that's complete nonsense Parker's face will nor freeze if he continues to make faces at Christine…"

"Bones…"

"However Parker you should not continue to make faces at your sister, it is rude and unattractive."

"Fine!"


	73. Chapter 73Declare

Christine walked into her parents shared home office, "Mom, dad, I've decided what major I'm going to declare when I go back to college Monday."

'That's great honey what is it?"

"Psychology. I want to be a profiler like uncle Sweets…"

"Chris-"

"Dad don't worry I'm not going to go in the field like Uncle Sweets did…"

"First, I'll always worry, you're my baby girl. Second that's what Sweets said at first. Third if you change your mind I'll support you, but whoever you're partnered with had better have a perfect marksmanship score. Also when you come home for the summer you and I are going to the range… a lot."

"Okay, dad."

"Christine, are you sure? Profiling is stressful, most profilers leave the job after a year or two, some don't last that long."

"I'm sure, mom. If I can't handle it I'll go into private practice or something."

"Okay. We're proud of you, Christine. Sweets would be too."

"Thanks mom." Brennan looked at Booth, he nodded. Brennan turned her chair to her filing cabinet, unlocking the bottom drawer she withdrew a thick stack of bound papers.

"You're letting me read your manuscript?"

Brennan smiled, "No. This is the manuscript for the Book Sweets wrote about your dad and me, we found it on a flash drive after he died. Angela printed it and gave it to us, it will never be published. It's an excellent book, but it's too personal for us to get it published. I think it's time you read it…"

"Have the two of you read it?"

"Yes, numerous times. I have yet to get through it without crying…"


	74. Chapter 74 Corrupt

Booth came home to Brennan Christine sitting at the counter eating dinner. He hung up his coat and tossed his keys in the bowl on the table by the door before walking to the kitchen and giving Brennan and Christine a kiss. "What's for dinner?"

"Tofu with vegetables and rice."

Booth winced a little, "Christine, I'll make you something else…"

"I don't want something else, daddy I like it. It's yummy!"

Booth looked at Brennan, "you're trying to corrupt our daughter into liking all your weird healthy stuff aren't you?"

"No Booth I asked Christine to try tofu. I told her if she didn't like it she didn't have to eat it and I'd make her chicken…"

"Daddy, try it, it's really yummy."

"Yeah, daddy try it…" Brennan put rice on Booth's plate and spooned the tofu and vegetable mixture over it. Booth sighed and picked up his fork and took a bite, "Mm, this is really good!"

"See daddy, I told you it was yummy!"

"That you did Christine…" Christine grinned and went back to eating her own dinner. Brennan slid off her stool and walked up behind Booth and whispered in his ear, "Next time eat a bite of tofu instead of moving it around your plate. You'll be rewarded later if you do…"

"Bones, you're evil!" Brennan chuckled and went to the sink for more water.


	75. Chapter 75 Wrong

"Bones, that is gross! How can you eat that?"

Brennan looked at Booth, "what? It's just a banana with American cheese wrapped around it, both things you like I might add."

"True, but eating them together like that is just so wrong."

"Yes. If I weren't pregnant I'd find the combination as gross as you do. With Christine hardly craved anything-"

"You wanted pasta and apples 24/7 with her. Raw apples and it didn't matter what kind of pasta or sauce as long as you had some."

"Remember when I got you out of bed at 3 am to make me Pop's spaghetti sauce?"

"Yep and I'd do it again…"

"Thanks, Booth. With Max I craved coconut ice-cream and lemons. With this baby I'm craving everything, the weirder and grosser sounding it is, the more I want it…"

"Maybe that means we're having twins this time…"

"I'm not pregnant with twins, Booth…"

A/N: I've eaten a banana with American cheese wrapped around it as a snack since I was 5. I saw it on Mr. Rodger's Neighborhood, mom and I tried it and liked it. Everyone else that has seen me eat it or heard me talk about it thinks it's gross…..


	76. Chapter 76 Right

Booth woke up when the bed dipped, he felt Brennan climb back in bed and realized she was holding someone.

"Bones?"

"You were right, Booth, Max was too young to watch the tiger documentary on Animal Planet. He's having nightmares about being eaten by them. Us too. I thought he'd enjoy it since tigers are his favorite animal. I didn't think it would be as graphic as it was. It didn't have a viewer discursion warning. If it had I wouldn't have let him watch it. He refuses to let go of me so, he's going to sleep with us. I can't sit on the floor next to his bed anymore."

"Bones, it's okay. Maybe next time DVR the show and watch it and fast forward though the graphic parts when max watches it."

"Good idea."

"Daddy, the tigers are gonna eat me!'

"No they're not, buddy. Mommy and I won't let them. Go back to sleep." Booth kissed Max's head and put his arm around him. "Bones, he'll be fine in the morning. At least he's scared from something educational, Parker saw part of The Others once on accident and he had nightmares for a week. Becca had my ass on a platter for that one."

Brennan chuckled lightly. Booth you owe the swear jar $5 in the morning..."

"Damn…"

"$10."


	77. Chapter 77 Administer

"Dr. Edison, can you administer the test over the marks weapons leave on bone to my undergraduate students from 3:30 to 4:45 and again at 5:00 until 6:15? Christine is sick and I need to pick her up from school…"

"Can't agent Booth pick her up?"

"He's in Seattle until Friday and my dad is who knows where doing who knows what."

"Can't-"

"Ms. Montenegro does not have the teaching credits or someone to watch her child. Drs. Saroyan and Hodgins are busy. All you have to do is collect their notes, pass out the test, make sure no one cheats then drop the completed exams off in my office."

"I had planned-"

"I'll bring you a dozen doughnuts and a large coffee from that bakery you like by my house when I return…"

"I'll do it for one doughnut and a small coffee Dr. B…"

"You have particulates and insects to analyze, Dr. Hodgins…"

"Fine I'll do it, but you better make it an extra-large coffee…"

"Thank you, Dr. Edison."

"You're welcome, Dr. Brennan."


	78. Chapter 78 Embrace

"The house is so quiet now that all the children are in college or working."

"Yeah, I can't believe Gracie is old enough to be a freshman at Georgetown."

"Or Christine in grad school at Temple. I remember when she told us she wanted to major in psychology and be a profiler like Sweets. He'd be so proud of her if he were here…"

"He is here, Bones…"

"I meant physically here, Booth… The silence is going to take some getting used to."  
"Yeah it will, but we need to embrace it because I don't think this house will be quiet for long."

"Why?"

"Have you seen how handsy Parker and Adison are with each other?"

"Yes, I have it is normal Booth, they've only been married for 3 months. They're still in the honeymoon stage. As I recall we were quite handsy ourselves for the first year, so much so I'm still surprised at the four year age gap between Christine and Max.."

"That's why we need to embrace the silence. I bet before they're married a year we'll have a grandkid in here making the house noisy again."

"That will be nice. I miss having a baby in the house…"

"Me too, Bones. Grandkids are the best because no we get to have all the fun and get them hyped up on sugar, then send them home to their parents to deal with!"

Brennan laughed, "You wouldn't do that to Parker…"

"Yes, I would…"


	79. Chapter 79 Argue

"That's so sad."

Christine looked up from her English assignment and over to her friend Amber. "What's so sad?"

"Your parents argue all the time if they hate each other so much why don't they just get a divorce? I could never stay with someone I argued with all the time like that…"

Christine sat up, "mom and dad don't argue they bicker, there is a difference-"

"Still doesn't it bother you?"

"Not really, I find it oddly comforting, if dad's bickering with mom about work stuff that means nothing really bad happened to them and they were able to come home…"

"Yeah I guess. Do they ever like really fight?"

"I think so. I remember once when I was 4, it was a few months before Max was born. Mom made me stay at grandpa's and when I came home the next night dad wasn't here. He came over every night to play with me and tuck me in. It was about a month before he came back home."

"What did he do?"

"I don't know. When I asked him or mom why he couldn't stay here they just said he had a lot of work to do and it was better if he didn't stay here while he did it. After he came back no one mentioned dad being gone again."

"Oh."

Max walked by Christine's room and stuck his head in, "if I were you, I'd steer clear of the kitchen for the next hour or so. Mom and dad are busy sucking each other's faces off and you know what that means…"

Christine groaned.

"What?"

"Trust me, Amber you don't want to know…"


	80. Chapter 80 Lose

A/N: Muse had a hard time coming up with something for this one… I was going to do a whole tooth fairy bit, but I didn't think I could do it and have Brennan's skepticism covered in 300 words

Booth took Max and Gracie to the zoo for the morning while Brennan took Christine back-to-school shopping.

"Daddy, I wanna see the tigers!"

"I wanna see the elephants, daddy!"

"Okay elephants first then tigers."

"K." On the way to the tiger enclosure they went past a balloon stand. "Daddy, can I get a balloon?"

"What do you say?"

"Please, daddy can I get a balloon?"

"Yes. Gracie, do you want one?"

"Uh- huh." Booth paid the vendor for two yellow balloons. He knelt down in front of Max. "Let me tie it around your wrist so you don't lose it, okay?"

"K." Booth loosely tied the string around Max's wrist, then he moved on to Gracie. "Daddy, don't tie it to my arm, I don't want to blow away!"

"You won't blow away Gracie Belle." Booth tied the string around Gracie's wrist. "How about I carry you for a little while, okay?"

"K." Four hours later Booth texted Brennan from their driveway asking her to help him carry two sleeping kids inside after along exciting morning at the zoo.

"They look like they had a lot of fun."

"They did. I carried Gracie most of the day, she was afraid that she'd blow away after I tied the balloon to her wrist."

"Why didn't you use the stroller?"

"I just felt like carrying her, won't be much longer and she'll be too big to carry." Brennan nodded and kissed the top of Max's head, "how's your back?"

"Fine, she's tiny."


	81. Chapter 81 Monster

"Mommy…"

"Mommy…" Brennan stirred up when she felt Christine climb onto the mattress.

"What's wrong Christine?"

"There's a monster in my closet!"

"Sweetheart, monsters aren't real..."

"But I heard it!"

"That was the wind…"

"No it wasn't, it was a monster!"

"Do you want to sleep with me?"

"Yeah." Christine laid down as close to Brennan as her baby bump allowed. Brennan ran her fingers through Christine's hair.

"I want daddy!"

"I do too." Brennan turned over and grabbed her cellphone off the nightstand. "Booth, can you come over?"

"No, I'm fine, we're just having a bad night. Christine says theirs a monster in her closet. Your son isn't tired and doesn't think that either of us need to sleep. I've been uncomfortable all day, even laying down isn't comfortable."

"Okay." Brennan hung up her phone, "daddy will be here soon. When he gets here you have to go to sleep, no stories, it's late."

"Okay."

Thirty minutes later Christine was tucked back into bed after Booth checked her closet for monsters and got rid of them with a spray bottle of water. After Christine was settled Booth gave Brennan a back massage and helped her get more comfortable with pillows. Booth turned to go to the guest room. "You can stay here, Booth."

"You sure, Bones?"

"Yeah" Booth smiled slightly and climbed in the bed.


	82. Chapter 82 Hit

"Dr. Brennan?" Brennan looked up to see Agent Aubrey standing in the doorway of her office.

"Agent Aubrey, shouldn't you be in the field with Booth?"

"That's what I came to see you about. Booth got shot at. He's fine, the bullet hit his vest. He's going to be really sore and bruised and he won't be able to play with the kids for a while, but he's fine. He wanted me to tell you in person instead of some hospital staffer over the phone. I'll take you to see him, he should be ready to go home soon."

"O…okay. Are you sure he's fine?"

"Brennan he's fine, actually he's probably more than fine by now. I left when the pain meds were just starting to kick in. I'll drive the both of you home in Booth's SUV."

"Okay, good I don't think I could drive right now." Aubrey nodded and followed Brennan from her office. Aubrey led Brennan to the cubicle Booth was in, she pulled back the curtain.

"Booth…"

"Bones! I'm fine! The doctor says I can go home as soon as someone comes to take me there. Do you think you can find someone to take me home? I'd take myself but everything is fuzzy… or something…"

Brennan smiled and went over to the gurney, kissing Booth's forehead. "Aubrey and I are going to take you home as soon as the nurse gives me your discharge papers."

"Okay. I want pudding…"

"I'll make you some pudding as soon as we get home. Booth."

"Okay."


	83. Chapter 83 Build

"Daddy, can I go outside and build a snowman?"

"Christine this isn't a good snowman snow. It's not wet enough to make a snowball with."

"We can poor water on it then it'll be wet enough…"

"The water has to be in the snow when it falls, you can't add it after it's on the ground."

"Oh."

"We can still go outside and play in it if you want to."

"Okay."

Thirty minutes later Christine was outside making a snow angel after Booth had pulled her around the front and back yards on her sled. A few minutes later Brennan stood behind Booth as he sat on the pooch steps. "Booth, what is Christine doing?"

Booth chuckled softly," your daughter is trying to build a snowman even though I told her the snow wasn't wet enough…"

Just then Christine looked up and saw Brennan, "mommy, I can't make a snowball!"

"I know sweetheart, the snow isn't wet enough to stick together. It will snow again in a few days, hopefully that snow will be wetter and you ban build a snowman then."

"Okay, mommy!"

"Come inside when you're done playing, we can have hot chocolate then make cookies."

"Okay. Daddy, I'm done playing outside."

Booth chuckled, "Okay, leave your sled there, I'll put it away."

"Okay." Christine bounded up the steps and let Brennan brush the snow off her coat, snow pants and hat before going inside.


	84. Chapter 84 Destroy

"Parker opened the front door, letting Christine go in the house.

"Hi Angel did you have fun with Parker at the rink?"

"Yeah, it was really fun. I won. We went for ice cream when we got done." Parker helped Christine take her jacket off.

"I'm glad you had fun Christine. Mommy said you can read to Max if you want to, she should be done giving him his bath soon."

"Okay." Christine headed for Max's nursery.

"Did you have fun Parker?"

"Yeah, but you didn't tell me she would destroy me. I knew she was good, but she kicked my butt. I couldn't score a goal to save my life! I got schooled by a 5 year old. It was embarrassing, I have a partial hockey scholarship for Pete sake! Good thing coach wasn't there, I'd be riding the bench for the rest of the season!"

Booth laughed, "Sorry Bub, your sister is scary good at hockey. She's beat the crap out of most of my hockey team. Wendell and Kevin are the only ones that will play with her. Kevin's kids won't play with her anymore…"

Parker laughed "I can see why. I was going to let her win…"

"She doesn't need help winning!"

"No she doesn't. I had the attendant tape her, coach is having fun game our little brother and sisters against us in two weeks. You have to be 6 to play, but it think he'll make an exception once he sees her play. My luck she'll get a full scholarship or something."

"She'll love it if she gets to play."

"She should, there's not a lot of siblings among us to begin with."


	85. Chapter 85 Breathe

**A/N: jsboneslover: I MIGHT do a follow up to 'destroy', it really depends on my muse…**

Today was a day Brennan hated, Booth was acting as a sniper as a witness in a high profile case was moved from the safe house to court and back again. They needed the best of the best. Brennan hadn't heard anything so, she was operating on the adage 'no news is good news' she got the kids from school, got them pizza for diner and now everyone was in bed except for Gracie. She wanted Booth to tuck in no matter what, since it was a Friday Brennan didn't push it. It was a family rule that the news was never on when the kids were awake. Booth and Brennan weren't hiding the violence in the world from their kids; they were hiding the fact that they were on the news 99% of the time. Tonight was an exception, Brennan needed to know Booth was okay.

"There's Daddy!"

Brennan smiled at Gracie's excitement over seeing Booth's tense concentrating face on TV.

"Yeah. He's working." Brennan could breathe easy now that she knew Booth was okay.

An hour later Booth smiled as he came through the door; Brennan and Gracie were laying on the couch sound asleep. He quietly picked up Gracie and took her to her bed and tucked her in. By the time Booth got back from Gracie's room Brennan was awake.

"Hey Bones, I'm sorry I woke you, I didn't mean to."

"Hi Booth it is okay. Did everything go well?"

"Yep, everybody is safe and sound in their own beds right now."

"That's good."

"Yeah. I'm sorry I didn't call, it was just crazy. Somebody tried to shoot the witness…"

"Did you?"

Booth only nodded…


	86. Chapter 86 Assist

Gracie was 12 weeks old and Brennan was going back to work today. They'd dropped Christine off at school and now Booth was parked at the curb of the Jeffersonian in front of the employee entrance watching Brennan wrangle Gracie in her car seat, her bag, the diaper bag, and hold Max while trying to shut the door of the SUV. "Bones, let me help you get the kids and all their stuff in daycare…"

"Booth, you don't need to assist me with the children, I'm perfectly capable of getting everyone and all of their things inside by myself."

"Okay, okay I was just trying to help… have a great day back Bones, I love you… all of you."

Brennan smiled, we all love you too Booth." Brennan shut the door and head up the sidewalk. After watching her struggle to open the door Booth got out of the SUV and jogged to the door. He took Max and the diaper bag from her. "Now you've got a free hand to open the door with."

"Thanks Booth, I guess I do need some assistance getting the children and all of their things inside to daycare after all."

"You're welcome, Bones."

"Shouldn't you move the SUV? You're parked in a 'no parking' zone…"

"I'm FBI Bones, I can park where ever I want…"


	87. Chapter 87 Stab

Booth watched Brennan make another lap around the living room with a crying Gracie on her shoulder.

"Bones, let me take a stab at getting her to settle down…"

"Booth, I don't think physically harming Gracie will help the current situation…"

Booth grinned, "it's a figure of speech Bones, it means let me try to get Gracie to settle down. You need to get some sleep."

"So do you.''

"I've been sleeping for three hours, I can stay up a few hours with her…"

"I don't understand why she won't sleep at night. Christine and Max were great sleepers, they got up every few hours for a feeding and fell asleep most times in the middle of it. A few times Max fell asleep before I finished changing him."

"Parker was too. I think Gracie has her days and nights mixed up."

"I'd like to let her cry it out, but I don't want her to wake everyone else up…" Booth nodded and crossed to Brennan, gently taking Gracie from her. "What's the matter Gracie Belle? You have to be tired by now. We're going to go to my man cave and relax while mommy sleeps."

"if she's still awake in three hours come get me and I'll sit with her."

"I will. Go to bed, Bones…"

Brennan kissed the side of Gracie's head and then Booth's cheek. "Thank you, Booth."

Two hours later Booth laid down next to Brennan, she stirred, "Gracie?"

"is sound asleep in her bassinet right beside you..."

Brennan smiled a little as Booth kissed her hair, "sleep Bones."


	88. Chapter 88 Bite

A/N: This was all I could think of for this one…

"Mommy, I don't want anymore." Brennan looked at Christine's plate. "You hardly ate any dinner, eat one more bite."

"No, I don't want anymore."

"Okay, but you can't have a snack later if you get hungry."

"Okay." Christine got up from the table and went in the living room. A few minutes later Brennan walked into the living room in time to see Christine throw up all over the couch and Booth.

"I'll get towels hold still." Brennan returned with an arm load of towels.

"Take Christine and get her cleaned up I'll get the couch." Brennan nodded and wrapped a towel around, Christine before picking her up and heading to the bathroom. "Sweetheart, why didn't you tell me your stomach hurt?"

"It didn't till I sat on daddy's lap…" Christine shrugged.

Brennan smiled and kissed the top of her head, "I'm going to give a quick bath and then you can get your pajamas on and sit with me and daddy."

"Okay. Mommy, I don't feel good."

"I know sweetheart, I'm sorry."

An hour later Christine was laying across Booth and Brennan's laps asleep.


	89. Chapter 89 Hunger

Booth was spending the day with 2 month old Max while Brennan took Christine out for some one-on-one time. The five year old was feeling a little left out now that her brother was on the scene and taking up a lot of Brennan's time. Booth smiled when he heard the door open, he leaned back and held a finger to his lips, singling for Christine to be quiet and not wake Max. Brennan walked over to the couch and kissed Booth's cheek. "How was your day?"

"Good we caught up on sports highlights from last night, fixed the shade in Christine's room, so it'll stay down now. I also fixed the faucet in the upstairs bathroom."

"Good. How was Max?"

"Max was great, he sat in his bouncy chair and watched me fix everything. It's probably a good thing when you came home when you did, he ate both bottles you left."

"That's why we came home now, Max has increased hunger the last day or two. He must be going through a growth spurt. I'll take him upstairs since he should be up soon." Brennan picked up Max and headed upstairs. Booth turned his attention to Christine, "how was your day with mommy. Christine?"

"Fun we went shopping, I got a new backpack and lunch box for school. Plus I got folders, crayons, pencils, scissors, glue, markers, and a school box. I got new shoes too. Then we went to the diner and the park, mommy let me get ice cream. After I had ice cream mommy gave me money to get food to feed to the ducks."

"Wow, new school supplies plus going to the diner and park that sounds really fun."

"It was. I got Max a toy too."

"Aw Christine that was nice of you. You can give it to him when he and mommy come back downstairs."

"Okay." Booth put his arm around Christine pulling her close and kissing the top of her head.


	90. Chapter 90 Passage

"Daddy, can I have a dollar?"

"Why do you need a dollar, Gracie?"

"'Cause I gotta go to the bathroom and Christine and Michael Vincent say it costs a dollar for passage to the bathroom! Daddy I gotta GO!"

"Go through the kitchen and use the bathroom next to mommy's office."

"K." Gracie took off at a dead run for the kitchen. Booth got up off the couch and headed for the bathroom down the hall. "Stop Uncle Booth, you need to pay a dollar to go to the bathroom." Booth smiled and picked Michael Vincent up and continued on to Christine. He sat Michael Vincent down next to her in the playroom, "why are you charging a dollar to go to the bathroom?"

"Because I need more money to have enough to get the skates I want."

"If you need to earn money Christine you can do extra chores…Mom and I were going to give you the rest of the money you need to get the skates you want… but I think extra chores are a better idea…"

Michael Vincent started to snicker. "I wouldn't laugh junior bug boy, I will be telling you mother about this when she picks you up in the morning…"

"Daddy! Max was fine paying to use the bathroom…"

"Your brother was saving that dollar for a toy. You are going to give it back plus a dollar extra and apologize to Max and Gracie then I'm going to take them both for ice cream…"

"I wanna go for ice cream!"

Too bad. Mom just got done making a big tub of hummus, I'm sure she'll let you both have some of that…"

An hour later Booth handed Christine and Michael Vincent small chocolate sundaes. "Thanks daddy!"

"Don't thank me, you brother and sister thought you should also get ice cream."


	91. Chapter 91 Drama

"Today was the worst day EVER I'm going to have to switch schools! I'm gonna flunk the ninth grade! "

"Gracie, quit being a drama queen, it wasn't that bad. I'm sure Coach Swanson will give you a D+ because you're a girl!"

"Max, shut up you're an ass-"

"Grace Elizabeth, watch your language! Booth was standing in the doorway between Brennan's office and the kitchen." Max get a snack if you want it and go to your room so I can talk to Gracie."

"Ohhh someone's in trouble…"

"Max you have thirty seconds to get a snack and leave before I remove you myself…" he shrugged and grabbed a snack sixed container of homemade granola and a glass of milk before heading to his room.

"Now what is all this about having to switch schools and flunking the 9th grade?"

"We have to run a four minute mile, it took me fifteen! I got sick and almost threw up! I had to walk some of it…people were laughing because I was the only one besides Andrew not to finish in 10 minutes. Andrew has something has something wrong with his hips and can't run, he still walked faster than I did! He finished in 12 minutes!"

"When do you have to be able to run a four mile by?"

"The end of the year, coach said I can try it once a week… if I can't do it I'll flunk gym!"

"Plenty of time then. Come with me when I go running on Saturdays and we'll work on it."

"You run like 5 miles, dad I can't do that! It'd take me all day…"

"I run 2.5 miles to the good coffee cart and back to the SUV. You don't have to run the whole time, we'll go slowly. You can set the pace and I'll keep up with you…"

"Okay, but you'll be going turtle slow…"

"That's fine with me, Gracie…"

Two months later Gracie finished her 4 minute mile in a little under 4 minutes.

A/N: in my head Gracie is kind of on the small and delicate side, she's not that athletic. She's more of the book and piano lesson set than sports…..


	92. Chapter 92 Haunted

Booth was waiting for Christine to climb in bed so he could tuck her in and read her a bedtime story.

"Daddy, I don't want to sleep in my room anymore…"

"Why don't you want to sleep in your room anymore, Christiane?"

"Because it's haunted."

"Christine, your room is not haunted."

"Yes it is. Parker said so…"

"Parker said so, huh?"

"Uh-huh."

"Okay grab your pillow, bunny and as many books as you want."

"K." once Christine had her pillow, bunny and half a dozen books, Booth got Parker's old Spiderman sleeping bag out of the storage room and headed to the teenager's room.

"Parker your sister is sleeping in here in your old sleeping bag until you can convince her that her room isn't haunted."

"Dad, I was joking-"

"A. she's four years old, she hasn't mastered the concept of a joke yet. B. she believes everything you tell her, because you're her big brother and she looks up to you." Booth unrolled the sleeping bag across from Parker's bed. "Okay, Christine hop in." Christine climbed in the sleeping bag and Booth zipped it up." Goodnight, Angel, I love you. Parker is going to read you ALL the books you brought with you…"

"Yay. Goodnight, daddy I love you." Booth smiled and kissed Christine's forehead.

"Dad, this isn't fair!"

"Son, it's totally fair. " Booth left the room. He sat down next to Brennan and put his arm around her. "Parker told Christine her room was haunted and now she doesn't want to sleep in it anymore, so I got his old sleeping bag out and put it in his room for her sleep in until he convinces her that her room isn't haunted and she sleeps in it again."

"I wonder how long it will tale Parker to get Christine in her own bed?"

"I say she'll be back in there tomorrow night, especially if she gets in bed with him in the middle of the night and sticks her foot in his spleen or something."


	93. Chapter 93 Crisis

It was days like today that made Brennan thankful that the kids were older and didn't need that much night time supervision. She had spent the day meeting with her students, some of whom had procrastinated too long and she had to tell them that barring a miracle they were going to fail. And then there were the students who hadn't procrastinated and now were having slight meltdowns over the thought of giving their dissertations. All she wanted to do was get home and eat whatever Booth made for dinner and relax. Brennan smiled as she hit the button on the garage door opener, as soon as the door came up the smile was gone from her face. Parked in her spot next to Booth's SUV was a sports car. Brennan sighed and closed the door as she parked in the driveway, grabbing her bag she headed inside. Brennan found Booth in the kitchen, "Booth, why is there a sports car parked in my spot in the garage?"

"I've always wanted one so I bought one today. I'm going to be 50 next month. I'm retiring from the FBI at the end of the year, I guess I'm going through a midlife crisis…"

"I understand, mostly. I just wish you'd discussed it with me first…"

"So you could tell me 'no' or make me read reviews and kinds of other crap I care nothing about?"

"No. I wouldn't have told you not to buy the car, you deserve it, you hardly ever buy things for yourself. I wouldn't have made you read reviews and other things. It just would have been nice to know beforehand instead of expecting to park in the garage only to find another car there."

"Yeah, I guess I should have told you. Sorry."

"I do have one small problem with the car though…"

"What's that?"

"It is supposed to be raining in the morning when I have to take Max and Gracie to school. By the time they get themselves and everything they need in the car everything will be soaked. It would be nice if we could load everything up in the garage…"

Booth chuckled, "give me your keys, Bones, I'll park the SUV outside and pull your car into my spot."

Brennan handed Booth her keys and kissed his cheek. "Thankyou."

"You're welcome. Stir the sauce so the garlic won't burn..."


	94. Chapter 94 Dirty

"Booth?"

Booth stuck his head in the bathroom doorway, "yeah Bones?

"Are you having problems with your eyesight?

"No, I got it checked last week, I have 20/20 vision…"

"Then your hand-eye coordination is off…"

"My hand-eye coordination is excellent."

"Then why can't you ever get your dirty clothes in the hamper? They land all around it, but never in it. I can no longer bend to pick them up to put in the hamper so I can do the laundry…'

"Bones go rest, I'll do the laundry plus I'll make you whatever you want for dinner."

"Okay. Can you make waffles with strawberries?"

"Sure. We don't have strawberries, but I'll go to the store and get some after I start a load."

"Okay, get some chocolate too."

"I will." Booth started the washer and left for the store. He came back a half hour later with fresh strawberries, frozen strawberries, strawberry syrup, strawberry jam and strawberry ice cream. He also had three types of chocolate, chocolate syrup, chocolate spread, and chocolate hazelnut spread. Brennan's cravings had been kind of unpredictable lately and he wanted to have all bases covered. Booth came home to Brennan asleep on the couch, he put the ice cream away and went to do more laundry. Two hours later Brennan woke up to Booth folding a basket of baby clothes.

"You didn't have to wash the baby clothes, Booth."

Booth put the onesie down and looked over at Brennan, "hey Bones did you enjoy your nap? Our stuff was done and I saw the basket in the corner so I washed them. Don't worry, I used the baby detergent."

"Yes, very much. Thank you for washing Christine's clothes, Booth. Now that I'm awake I find that I am very hungry…"

"You're welcome. Do you still want waffles with strawberries?"

"Yes." Brennan stood up and headed to the kitchen.


	95. Chapter 95 Emotional

A/N: this one is pre Max

Booth walked into the living room to see tears streaming down Brennan's face. He hurried and sat down next to her on the couch. "Bones, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just really emotional right now and the Swiffer commercial got to me."

Booth tried unsuccessfully to hide a laugh. "Booth, stop it isn't funny! I'm hormonal and heavily pregnant."

"I'm sorry, Bones." Booth kissed Brennan's cheek and wiped away her tears. Brennan was about to reply when Christine came around the corner, she stopped and looked up at Brennan. "What's wrong, mommy?"

"Nothing sweetheart, something on the TV made me a little sad, but I'm okay now."

Seeing Christine was not convinced that Brennan was really okay, Booth looked over and smiled at her. "Christine, mommy is fine, I promise. Why don't you get one of your games out of the closet for us to play?"

"Okay." While Christine was digging through the closet Booth turned the TV off. A few minutes later she sat the game she chose on the coffee table.

"Mousetrap? Parker loved this when he was little." Booth started to open the box.

"I want to sit next to mommy."

"Okay that means I'm on the floor then." Booth stood up and went around the coffee table and sat down on the floor.

Christine climbed up on the couch and leaned on Brennan a little. "I'm fine sweetheart." Brennan kissed the top of Christine's head and shifted a little so that the four year old could sit closer to her.


	96. Chapter 96 Talk

A/N: This one is the first of the 'writer's choice' words. It is a continuation of complicated and it's going to go over 300 words I can't help it lol

Brennan knocked quietly on Christine's door, the preteen looked up. "Dad took Max and Gracie to the children's museum, I thought we could talk while it's quiet." Brennan walked in the room and sat on the bed, across from Christine

"Okay."

"Your dad told me you asked about your missing four and five month old baby pictures…"

"Yeah. He explained why the two were missing…"

"I know he told you not to ask me about it, but we can talk about it if you want…"

"Why did we have to leave? Couldn't daddy do something so we could stay with him?"

"The FBI was going to arrest me. Your dad, grandpa, and I knew that if that happened Pelant would find a way to kill me. I did not want to leave your dad or take you away from him, but I had to, it was the only way to keep everyone safe. Your dad knew that at some point I'd leave, but he didn't know when or how. After you were baptized I told your dad that we'd wait in front of the church for him to pull the car up. Instead grandpa pulled up with an old car and I put you in the car seat he got and we headed out. The hardest part was seeing the look on your dad's face as I drove away."

"You didn't tell dad you were leaving? You just got in grandpa's car and left dad standing there? How could you do that?" Christine was almost yelling at Brennan. She waited it out then took Christine's hands in hers. "Christine, I wanted to tell your dad that we were leaving, I wanted to tell him where we were going. I wanted him to come with us."

"Then why didn't you?"

"As soon as the FBI found out that I was gone they questioned your father and searched his computer and phone weekly for clues about where we were. If your father knew where we were, he'd have to lie to the FBI. Once they found out he'd been lying to them it would be detrimental to everyone. They would have put your dad, grandpa, and I in jail. I needed your dad to not know so he, Cam, Angela, Hodgins, Sweets, and Caroline could keep working behind the FBI's back to clear me so we could come home."

"Oh. Where did we go?"

"Our first stop was Culpeper West Virginia, we stayed close to D.C. so we could get home as soon as it was safe for you and me to do so. You didn't mind traveling or staying in a new place every three days much, but you didn't like sleeping in the porta crib grandpa got for you. Every night I'd put you in it and you'd never fall asleep until I got you out of it and put you in bed with me. Even when we came home it was a few weeks before you'd sleep in your crib. After the first week home, dad and I would put you in your crib and sleep on an air mattress next to you."

"Oh. Why did that guy twist stuff up so it looked like you killed your friend?"

"Because your dad and I had almost arrested him a few months before. To him it was a game to try and outsmart everyone."

"He didn't did he?"

"No. Aunt Angela was always one step ahead of him. She worked day and night for almost three months to prove that Pelant had manipulated the video and other evidence to show that I killed Ethan."

"Oh."

"If you google any of this later you won't find many details we kept a lot of it off the internet, no one would believe it anyway."

"Don't worry mom, I'm not going to go google it. I don't really want to know more, it's too freaky."

"Yes it is."

Hours later Booth knocked on Christine's bedroom door. "Mom sent me to tell you dinner will be ready in five minutes."

"Okay. Dad were you mad at mom when she left you and took me with her?"

"No. I was mad at Pelant and the situation, but I was never mad at your mom for leaving and taking you with her. It had to be done to keep everyone safe. I was upset that I couldn't go with the two of you, but I understood why I couldn't."

"Oh."

"BOOTH, CHRISTINE! YOUR DINNER IS GETTING COLD! "

"WE'LL BE RIGHT THERE, BONES!"

"Let's go before Parker eats all the macaroni and cheese…"


	97. Chapter 97 Hangover

A/N: this is a continuation of 'punch'

"GOOD AFTERNOON, SUNSHINE!" Christine groaned as she made her way into the kitchen, "not so loud, daddy…"

Booth chuckled lightly and went over to the coffee pot and filled a mug before taking it to Christine. "It sounds like someone has a hangover this morning. Drink the coffee it'll help you feel somewhat human again."

"Hum." Christine picked up the mag and took a sip as Booth made her toast. When the toast was done Booth went over to the counter and sat on a stool. "How are you feeling?"

"Like crap, good news is my room isn't spinning anymore like it was last night. I still feel sick, but I don't think I'm gonna puke anymore…"

"That's good."

"I can't believe actually get drunk on purpose! I'm never going to drink let alone get drunk again…"

"People do. You'll drink and probably get drunk again, but not until you're 21… You have to be careful with drinking, my dad and Uncle Jared are alcoholics. My dad was a mean drunk who beat your grandmother, me, and Jared within an inch of our lives more times than I can count."

"You're not an alcoholic and you drink…"

"I do drink, but I keep it in check. Besides your mom knows that if I start not being able to be in control of my drinking to throw me in rehab…."

"Oh. Have you ever been drunk?"

"Yes, but not since I met your mom. Do you see why we ALWAYS tell you to only drink from bottles and cans you open yourself?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna stick to water and pop from now on."

"Good. Now even though you didn't intend to get drunk you did and you have to face the consequences."

"Okay."

"You're going to babysit Friday night while mom and I go on a date. You can only go to school and work then you have to come directly home for the next three months. I am also taking your phone for a month. You are not allowed to go to any friend's houses for the foreseeable future, however after three months your friends can come here."

"Can I still dive to school and work?"

"Yes, in fact since you have to come home afterschool on the days you don't work you can pick Max and Gracie from school. And sit through Gracie's ballet lesson on Thursday…."

"DAD, I will willingly not go anywhere but school and work and take Max and Gracie anywhere they want for an extra month if you don't make me sit through Gracie's ballet lesson!"

"Sorry I don't negotiate punishments…"

"The lessons are so long and boring!"

"I know, take a book or play games on your phone once you get it back!"

"This isn't fair, I didn't mean to get drunk…"

"Think of how much worse your punishment would be if you'd been drinking on purpose…" Booth stood up and kissed the top of Christine's head before heading to the living room.


	98. Chapter 98 Dinner

A/N: This is a continuation of 'honor'

The six of them were seated around the table waiting for their dinner to be served. After dinner Brennan would be awarded 'scientist of the decade' for her continued work using forensics to solve crimes. Once everyone had been served they began to eat. "Mommy, the carrots taste funny, I don't like them!"

Brennan looked up," you don't have to eat them, Gracie, just eat your chicken and mashed potatoes."

"K."

"Mommy, the mashed potatoes are yucky!"

"Then just eat your chicken, Max."

"Okay."

"Mom, the chicken has some gross tasting sauce on it…"

"Scrape the sauce off and eat the chicken, Christine."

"I did, but you can still taste it…" Brennan sighed and took a carrot and forkful of mashed potatoes from Max's plate and ate them, the carrots had a lemon dill sauce on them and the potatoes were from a box and had too much water added to them. "Booth, how's the chicken?"

"It's bad Bones…"

"Okay. Everybody has to eat three bites of everything on their plate and sit quietly. After I give my speech we'll leave and go to the diner for dinner."

"Okay."

An hour and a half later they were all seated in the diner with cheeseburger platters for Booth and Parker, a grilled cheese plater for Max, a peanut butter and jelly platter for Gracie, a chicken strip basket for Christine and a large salad for Brennan.

"Mommy, this is a lot yummier than the other food."

"I'm glad you like it, Gracie."

Later that night Booth was sitting next to Brennan, "I guess taking the kids wasn't the best idea. I'm sorry they ruined your night, Bones."

"The kids didn't ruin my night, Booth. They ate three bites of their dinner and sat quietly like I asked."

"Yeah, but we had to leave early and go to the diner."

"We would have done that regardless, my salad was disgusting. I wasn't going to eat it even though I was hungry."

Booth laughed. "Congratulations on being named the squint of the decade, Bones. I love you."

"Thanks Booth. I love you too."


	99. Chapter 99 Grandparents

Parker and Adison entered the house, "we're home!"

"In the kitchen, Parker!" Parker and Adison made their way to the kitchen. Brennan was lifting a casserole dish from the oven. "Mmm, something smells good in here, Bones."

Brennan smiled, "I made pot roast, carrots, potatoes, green beans, and macaroni and cheese."

"You made all my favorites in one meal?"

"Yes. You haven't had dinner with us in a while so I thought you'd enjoy it."

"I will thanks, Bones. Where's dad?"

"Your father will be home in a few minutes. I asked him to stop by the diner and buy an apple pie."

"That sounds really good…" Brennan chuckled softly and smiled at Adison. After dinner Parker retrieved two wrapped boxes he had hidden under his jacket. "When we went away a few weekends ago we found some things we knew you both would like. You have open them at the same time."

Booth and Brennan unwrapped the boxes and opened them to find 'world's greatest grandma and grandpa' mugs respectively. "Parker?"

"Dad, you and Bones are gonna be grandparents on or around October first."

"Congrats Bub, you're going to be a great dad." Booth put his mug aside and stood up to hug Parker. "Thanks dad. If you talk to mom don't tell her. We're going to tell her in two weeks when she's back in the States."

"Okay Parks, you got it."

"Congratulations Adison."

"You knew didn't you, Bones?"

Brennan smiled at Parker, "yes, I had my suspicions last week when Adison cane to get you dad's hockey tickets. I picked up on subtle changes in Adison's gait. And tonight when I said that Booth was getting pie Adison's reaction was conformation."

Brennan turned to Adison, "when I was pregnant with all three of our kids, I craved pie, it's a Booth genetic trait." Adison laughed and looked at Parker, "okay, you win, I'll watch baseball with you for the next month." Booth and Brennan raised an eyebrow. "Parker said you probably already knew. I said there was no way you could so he bet me that if you did I had to watch football with him for a month."

"But if you didn't know, I said we'd go out for dinner plus I'd do most of the housework until the baby gets here. Even know I lost the bet I'll still do the housework and we'll go out for dinner Friday night, Addi"

"Thanks, Parker."

At 5:15 AM on October 2ad Booth and Brennan's phones beeped with a text, they opened them to find a picture of a baby wrapped in a blanket, with the text: _Dad, Bones, meet Matthew Joseph Booth. Born at 3:30AM 8 LBS 14 OZ 21 inches long. Everybody is healthy and dong great._

"Aw Bones we're officially grandparents! I can't wait to meet the little guy!"

"I can't wait to meet him either, but we have to. It's too early to go to the hospital now plus Adison and Parker need to rest for a while, I imagine it's been a long night for them."

"I know, I'm just really excited to meet our first grandchild, Bones!"

"I know me too. Let's just lay here and talk for a while."

"Okay." Booth kissed Brennan.

A/N: One more to go…..


	100. Chapter 100 End of an Era

Booth sighed as he put bobble head Bobby in the box he was packing, this was it he and Brennan were actually retiring. He'd retired from the FBI fifteen years before, but he wasn't ready to quit so he took a job at the Jeffersonian as the head of daytime security at the lab. The job allowed him to still see Brennan and the squints everyday while making sure Brennan had eaten lunch, left the lab at a decent hour and was safe every day. Booth was surprised that when he told Brennan he was going to retire she said she was too. Booth took one more look around his small office turned out the lights and shut the door before going to get Brennan. Booth stood in Brennan's office doorway, watched her pack her own boxes. "Ready to go, Bones?"

"No…yes…I don't know." Booth sat his box on a chair and entered the office turning Brennan to face him. "Are you having second thoughts about retiring, Bones?"

"No, I'm looking forward to spending time with you doing whatever we want, going on vacation and it really be a vacation, watching Matthew on Tuesdays and Wednesdays while Parker and Adison work late and everything else I have time to do now that I'm not working."

"But you're going to miss this place…"

"Yeah…"

"I am too this place is ours, we built it."

"We didn't-"

"Metaphorically built Bones. But we'll come back every now and then to see everyone…."

"Not for much longer, Cam, Hodgins, and Angela are all retiring at the end of the year. Wendell and Daisy are taking over."

"Wow, it really is the end of an era at the Jeffersonian. Years ago I told Cam that if she fired you the squints would follow you… we both retire and everyone does…"

"Yeah…"

"Let's get some Thai and go home sit on the couch and eat it while we watch a movie, like we used to do before we admitted we loved each other…"

"Sounds good to me, Booth." Booth stacked Brennan's boxes on his and waited while she took one more look around her office turned out the lights and shut the door. Booth put his arm around Brennan pulling her close and kissing her hair. "Tomorrow is the beginning of a new era in our lives, Bones and I have to say I'm looking forward to it."

"Me too, Booth."

A/N: There you have it all 100 moments, I had a lot of fun writing these….. I JUST decided to do TWO more 'writer's choice" words for Booth and Brennan meeting Matthew and Parker as a dad….


	101. Chapter 101 Meet

A/N: bonus chapter

It was just after noon when Booth and Brennan were making their way to Adison's room to meet Matthew. Parker met them by the door. "I was wondering when you two would get here. I just got some lunch. Let me make sure Adi's ready for visitors."

"Okay. We'd been here sooner, but Bones made me wait for a reasonable hour to visit." Parker laughed, "We've all been asleep on and off all morning. It was a long night. We just got home from work and Adi said we need to go to the hospital. Neither of us could really rest until about 6 this morning." Parker opened the door and stuck his head in."Adi, dad and Bones are here to visit if you're up for it."

"Yeah, Matthew just finished his lunch and he's still awake…" Parker went the rest of the way into room, Booth and Brennan followed. "I got your decaf unsweetened ice free tea with lemon."

"Thanks Parker."

Parker nodded, "how's the little guy?"

"Fine. He ate and had his diaper changed now he's ready to meet his grandparents." Parker carefully picked up Matthew and walked over to Booth, dad, Bones, meet Matthew Joseph Booth." Booth gently took Matthew from Parker, "hi buddy, I'm your grandpa." Matthew looked at Booth for a few seconds before closing his eyes and falling asleep. "Bones go stand behind dad so I can take your picture." Brennan nodded and moved to stand behind Booth with her hand on his shoulder. Once the picture was taken Brennan looked down at Matthew, then up at Parker and Addison. "He's beautiful. He looks a lot like Parker did when he was little. I see a little of Booth in him too, he's going to be a handful when he gets older, especially if he masters the 'Booth charm smile'." Parker laughed and smiled at Brennan.  
"That's the one, though your father is a tiny bit better at it…" Brennan adjusted the little knit hat on Matthew's bald head, the baby sighed.

"I think someone wants his Grandma Bones to hold him." Booth stood up and let Brennan sit in his chair. Once Brennan was sitting Booth handed her Matthew. "Hi sweetheart, you can call me grandma or grandma Bones if you want, your dad and grandpa are the only ones allowed to call me 'Bones' though. I'm so happy to finally meet you." Parker looked over at Booth and noticed he was watching Brennan intently. "Dad?"

"Huh?"

"You okay? You were kinda spaced out."

"I'm fine. I was just watching Bones, one of my favorite things to do was watch her with the kids when they were babies. Even when you were small I found myself watching Bones interact with you every chance I had."

"I know what you mean. Matthew is only 9 hours old, but I love watching him with Adi."

"Enjoy it for as long as you can."

"I will." Parker snapped a picture of Brennan and Matthew and sent it to Booth's phone. Thirty minutes later Brennan looked over and saw that Addison was nodding off. We should go and let the three of you rest." Parker took Matthew. I talked to Christine, Max, and Gracie, they're all going to stop by our house Saturday to meet their nephew."

"How about I make a lasagna and bring it over?'"

"Sounds good to me. Can you make that cheesy garlic bread too?"

"Sure, Parker. Call if you need anything."

"We will."


	102. Chapter 102 Sick

A/N: Bonus Chapter #2

It was a little past three in the morning when Brennan's phone rang, "Brennan." She sat up when she herd Matthew's loud cries. "Parker?"

"Bones, can you come over? He's been crying for the last twenty minutes, I don't know what to do; the more I try to make him stop the more he cries. He has a fever. Adi's still in Ohio with her mom…" Brennan started getting out of bed.

"I'll be there in twenty minutes, Parker."

"Thanks." Brennan hung up and grabbed a pair of Booth's old FBI sweats to go with the T shirt she was already wearing.

"Bones, what's wrong?"

"Matthew is sick and Parker isn't sure how to handle it. Addison is still with her mother helping her recover. I'm going over there. I don't know when I'll be home."

"Okay. Call me if you need anything."

"I will." Brennan leaned across the bed and gave Booth a kiss. Twenty minutes later Parker had the front door open before Brennan could knock. Brennan threw her jacket and purse on a chair and took Matthew from Parker.

"Hi sweetheart, why are you giving your dad a hard time tonight, huh?" Brennan pressed her hand to Matthew's forehead and looked up at Parker, "he's warmer than normal."

"He woke up at 2:00 fussy and really hot, I took his temp it was 101 even. I tried to give him meds, he fought me and squeezed it all over his highchair tray. He started coughing after I called you, I don't know if it's because he's crying so much or he's getting a cold." Brennan chuckled softly and kissed the top of Mathew's head. "I'm going to see if I can't calm him down a little then I'm going to give him a cool bath and then we'll try more meds. You're certain he didn't get any of it down?"

"Yeah, he grabbed the dropper and squeezed it all over and started crying like that."

"Parker you did fine, babies are particular when they don't feel well. Christine and Max wanted me. Gracie wanted your dad 24/7…sometimes after he became Assistant Deputy Director and didn't have meetings when she wasn't contagious he'd take her to work in the mornings long enough to get whatever he needed and come home."

"I just hate seeing him cry like that, I think some of it is because he misses Addi, but having a 10 month old running around when you've just had spine surgery isn't good. We skype her every night though." Brennan nodded and took Matthew's pajamas off leaving him in his onesie and socks. After many laps around the living room and kitchen Matthew's cries slowed to hiccupping sobs. "I'm going to give him a bath now."

"Okay." Parker signed and sat down in his recliner and sighed. Twenty minutes later Brennan came back with Matthew in a clean onesie and socks. "He's almost asleep. I gave him his meds, he was playing with a toy and I was able to give them to him without him noticing. His fever is down a little."

"That's good." Matthew raised his head from Brennan's shoulder and reached for Parker. Brennan handed him to Parker. "Hey buddy, do you feel better after grandma Bones gave you a bath?"

Brennan smiled. "He's a little congested sleeping propped up slightly will help him breathe easier." Parker reclined a little and laid Matthew on his chest. "That's good." Brennan put a light blanket over the baby and headed for the kitchen. "Bones, you don't have to stay, Matt has calmed down I think we'll be okay."

"I want to stay until it's time for his next dose of medication to make sure he lets you give it to him."

"That's not for four hours!"

"I know, I don't mind staying. I'll clean up that mess in the kitchen…"

"…I can do it later, Bones…"

"You won't have time later, Matthew will take up most of your time."

"Okay. Thanks, Bones."

"You're welcome, Parker."

Four hours later Brennan watched Parker give Matthew his medication with minimal fussing. "He probably won't want to eat anything, but you need to try to get him to eat a little and make sure he stays hydrated. If his fever gets high again try a lukewarm bath. "

"Thanks for coming over, Bones and spending the night. You didn't have to do that, especially cleaning the kitchen."

"You're welcome, Parker. I was glad to do it. Call if you need anything."

"I will. I'm gonna see if he'll eat applesauce, it's his favorite." Brennan nodded and kissed Parker's cheek and the top of Matthew's head and turned to go.

"Okay buddy, eat a little of this and I promise we'll go back to sleep…" Brennan smiled and left the house. When she got home forty minutes later she was loaded down with shopping bags. Booth was at the counter with coffee and his paper. "Hey, Bones, how's Matthew?"

"Okay. He has a cold, he seems a little better right now."

"That's good, what's in the bags?"

"I'm going to make chicken noodle soup and take it over there tonight. When I kissed Parker goodbye, it felt like he had a slight fever. If he is sick I'm spending the night again…"

Booth got off the stool and kissed Brennan's cheek, "thanks for being a fantastic mom to Parker, Bones. God knows Rebecca falls shot a lot of times…"

"Your welcome Booth… Do you think Rebecca would have went over there if Parker had called her?"

"No. when Parker was sick 80 percent of the time she called me and I went over and got him and took him to my apartment. She said sickness grossed her out and she didn't like dealing with fevers…"

"Oh." Brennan shrugged and started the soup.

A/N: This is the end, I had a lot of fun writing these. Max was named after my friend's little boy, not Brennan's dad. Gracie was not planned when I started this fic, but as I was looking at the list of prompts/ words trying to come up with some sort of a loose plan I saw 'announce' and the first thing that popped in my head was 'Brennan gets pregnant and inadvertently announces it to someone…' ergo Gracie lol


	103. Chapter 103 Author's Note

Ok I miss my little Booth family so I'm going to slowly do the other 100 words. Along with doing stuff I've had started on for years... I think I got my writing mojo back, at least for the time being lol


	104. Chapter 104 Hide

A/N: Here we go with the next 100 words...

Christine looked for a place hide, she was playing hide and seek with Max. She stood just inside the pantry and waited for him to find her. A few minutes into her wait Booth opened the door. "Christine-"

"Shh daddy, I'm hiding from Max."

Booth smiled, "okay, have fun." Booth reached above Christine's head for the jar of peanut butter and closed the door, leaving it cracked open a little.

"Daddy, I can't find Chrissy!"

Booth handed Max a cracker with peanut butter on it. "Look in the kitchen..."

"K."

Booth smiled a minute later when heard, "daddy, I found Chrissy, she was in the cabinet!"

"Good job, buddy! Now you need to hide so she can find you."

"K."

Booth smiled as Max climbed into the pantry. He got up and went over to it and opened it. "Buddy, you have to hide somewhere else."

"K Max headed for the half bathroom next to Brennan's office.

"In here, daddy?" Booth nodded and stopped Christine when she walked into the kitchen. "Go look somewhere else for a few minutes then find him. He's three, he doesn't have the concept down yet. I'll help him next time."

"Okay. I wonder were Max is..."


	105. Chapter 105 Amnesia

"Daddy…" Booth turned his head to see a small blonde haired girl holding on to Brennan's hand. "Bones, who is that?"

"Christine is our 3 year old daughter…"

"WE don't have a daughter, Bones, quit playing around. I have a 12 year old son named Parker, you know this!" Brennan picked Christine up. "I'll be right back to explain everything to you, Booth. I'm going to have dad take Christine to the cafeteria for a snack."

"Okay." Brennan went outside the door and was back before it had a chance to close completely.

"Booth, you were hit in the head by a hockey puck two days ago, given your previous head trauma, it rendered you unconscious."

"But we don't have a kid. We aren't married, Sweets said the dream was because you read me your book as you were writing it…"

"That's true, but after Vincent Nigel Murry was killed you and I slept together and Christine was born eight months, three weeks and two days later…"

"Oh God, we have a kid I don't remember…"

"It's okay, Booth. The doctor said your amnesia, will be most likely temporary…"

"She must be freaking out because her own father doesn't remember who she is… is there anything else I need to know?"

"We've been married for a year, our anniversary is October 21st. It's November 18th."

"Do you think I could see Christine again? Maybe seeing her will jog my memory…"

"Of course, I'll go get her from dad." Brennan left and returned with Christine a few minutes later.

"Daddy."

"Hi Christine, come here and tell me all about yourself…" Brennan smiled and laid her next to Booth.


	106. Chapter 106 Funeral

Booth sat down on the couch and sighed, "At least we found Jarred. I wonder how she got the box in Hank's room."

"The box probably was delivered when dad was watching them last week and Christine waited until he was busy and slid it into Hank's room. We can ask Christine in the morning."

"Nah I don't really care how she did it. I don't really care that she did it. At least Jared was home with family and not stuffed in some warehouse or in someone else's house…"

"Booth, we need to plan a funeral-"

"Why? No one would attend except for us and the squints…"

"Your mom-"

"Chickened out when she was here that time and didn't go see him…"

"We should at least hold a memorial service, you need closure…"

"I don't know what I'd do with his ashes, I don't think he had a favorite spot here… other than a bar…"

"You don't have to sprinkle them anywhere we can keep them…"

"That's creepy. We can go to the park on that trail we both like… that's a good of a place as any."

"That's a good idea, Booth. Maybe call some of the people he served with-"

"They did this to him..." Brennan sat down on the couch and put her arms around Booth. "I'm sorry, Booth…"

A few days later Brennan, Christine, Hank, Cam, Hodgins, Angela, and Aubrey stood by Booth's side as he said goodbye to his brother.


	107. Chapter 107 The End

"I can't believe that as of fifteen minutes ago you no longer work for the FBI, Booth."

"I know it feels surreal to think that this is the end of this of this chapter of my life. No longer budget meetings. No more trainee reports to go over, no more winy trainees to deal with, I can't wait. It is going to be odd going to the lab to actually work though…"

"Yes, but I'm glad you accepted the job as head of security."

"Really?"

"Yes, this way I'll still get to see you every day."

"So if I'd just decided to go home and sit on the couch all day, you'd miss me?"

"Yes, I've grown accustom to you popping up at sometimes inopportune times over the last 20 years. And if you stopped I'd miss it and you greatly."

"Aw Bones, I love you too."

Brennan smiled, "if I'd decided to retire first what you would do?"

"Retire… I want to be by your side one way or another for the rest of my life…"

"I love you, Booth."

"Let's go celebrate at the diner…"

"Home would be better, Parker took the kids tonight…"

"I love that kid…"


	108. Chapter 108 Lament

A/N continuation of funeral

After the brief memorial service for Jared everyone headed to Booth and Brennan's for lunch. Brennan couldn't help but notice that Booth bypassed the food and ducked into the backyard as soon as Hodgins and Angela left with the kids for a movie night that had been promised days before. Brennan filled a plate with food and went outside. Booth was sitting on the top porch step. "I brought you something to eat, Booth."

"Thanks Bones, but I'm not hungry."

"You need to eat something, Booth. You've had a diminished appetite since your surgery and recovery, you need to keep your strength up." It was then that Brennan noticed tears falling from Booth's eyes, she sat the plate down out of the way and wrapped her arms round him. "Jared was a pain in the ass since the day he was born, he was colic and cried all the time. Dad was actually sober then and he'd sit up with him at night, it didn't do much good. Then when he got to school he became my pain in the ass, he was always smarting off to some kid who could easily beat him to a pulp, but I'd swoop in and save him. Every time he got in trouble I'd save him and he'd come out smelling like a rose. Every time but this last time, we both came out smelling like shit, him more than me… I tried, I really did…"

"I know, Booth. You did your best..."

"My best wasn't good enough…Jared my own personal pain in the ass is gone all because I couldn't save him."

"Booth, your best was more than adequate. Nothing that happened to him is your fault. Jared was beyond help this time… "Brennan kissed Booth's cheek and held him tightly as sobs wracked his already weakened body. Once Booth soul crushing lament was over Brennan helped him up and into the house.


	109. Chapter 109 Crucify

"Tempe, I said I was sorry…" Brennan tossed the reusable containers from the kid's lunchboxes in the sink with more force than necessary.

"They were fine…"

Brennan turned around then, "Dad you left Christine and Max standing outside their school for thirty minutes!"

"I was stuck in traffic…"

"…and you couldn't have called and told me that so Angela could have picked them up with Michael Vincent…"

"I didn't think I'd be that late…"

"Well you were! Anything could've happened to them! Someone could've taken them! You don't know what it's like to wait for someone you trust to come home and they don't…"

"So that's what this is about? How many years have to go by before you don't crucify me and your mother for leaving you and Russ?"

"Dad, time doesn't heal everything. I'll always worry about the kids when you have them…"

"I'd never let anything happen to them, you know that…"

"You say that now, but you broke plans with Christine four years ago to go to Ohio to see if someone from your past was dead."

"I made that up to her as soon as I came home."

"You did, can you guarantee that you won't do something like that at the spur of the moment again?"

"No I can't."

"I'm going to rework my schedule so I can pick them up for the time being…"

"Whatever you need to do, Tempe…"


	110. Chapter 110 Deaf

Booth winced as he got closer to Max's room, the preteen had his music up too loud. Booth pounded on the door and thankfully Booth's pounding on the door was heard over the thump of the music. Max opened the door.

"Turn it down, mom and I can hear it with your door shut and our T.V. on."

"Okay sorry." Max reached over and turned the stereo down to a more pleasing volume.

"That's perfect." Booth closed the door and headed down the hall and sat next to Brennan on the couch. Twenty minutes later the music blared again. "That kid is going to make us all deaf! I never had this problem with Parker."

"Parker wasn't around a lot as a preteen." Booth sighed and got up and headed to the breaker box to cut the power to Max's room. Once the power was off Booth quietly stood outside the preteen's bedroom door. The door opened quickly, "Dad, something is wrong, none of my stuff works."

"Nothing is wrong. I turned off the power to your room because you keep turning the volume up. I'll turn your power back on in a few hours, but if you turn your music up again I'm taking the stereo and your iPod for at least a month."

"Okay, dad."

Two hours later Booth restored the power to Max's room and his music stayed at a comfortable volume for everyone.

A/N dad did cut power to my room when I turned the music up too loud for a few hours when I was like 15


	111. Chapter 111 Cliff

_"…Andy, we're done! I can't deal with your over-protectiveness anymore. I can take care of myself, I have been for years!" Andy stood there in silence as Kathy grabbed her bag and left the apartment they shared._

"Bones, you can't leave a cliff hanger like that, Kathy and Andy can't break up over a fight like that. I gotta admit Andy is overdoing it a little bit..."

"It isn't much of a cliffhanger, the next book will pick up 3 months later and they've came to an understanding about Kathy being in the field while she's pregnant. Do you really think Andy is overdoing it?'

"Yeah, he won't let her lift anything heavier than a book…"

"You were worse than that with Christine … This time you've been better."

"Did you ever think about walking out because of it?"

"No, but I did think of ways to temporally incapacitate you so you'd stop hovering and leave me alone for a while."

"Sorry, Bones. Seriously though you can't leave them like this, think of all the nasty email you'll get from your fans mad because you've broken Kathy and Andy up…"

"I'll take your thoughts under advisement…"

Three days later Brennan handed Booth a sheet of paper.

 _"…Andy, we're done! I can't deal with your over-protectiveness anymore. I can take care of myself, I have been for years!" Andy stood there in silence as Kathy grabbed her bag and left the apartment they shared._

 _"Kathy wait-"Andy gently pulled her back from the door. "I know you can take care of yourself and have been for years, that's one of the things I love about you. The thing is I don't want you to have to take of yourself all the time. If something were to happen to you or the little guy-"_

 _"…or girl…"_

 _"Or girl because I wasn't able to protect you, I'd die… Come back inside and talk about it, I'm sure we can come to some sort of compromise that will make us both happy…"_

 _"Okay."_

Booth looked at Brennan after reading the addition, "you added to the chapter?"

"Yes, it didn't seem right to leave them like that."

"This is really good, Bones."

"Thanks, Booth."

"it's true too you know, if something happened to you or the baby because I wasn't able to protect you I'd die…"

"I know, which is why I'm telling Cam this morning that I'm going to stay in the lab until I give birth."

"Thanks, Bones." Brennan smiled and kissed Booth's cheek and finished getting ready for work.


	112. Chapter 112 Float

A/N this one is pre kids

They'd finished the case and had gone back to Booth's apartment to celebrate and unwind. Brennan sat at the counter watching Booth scoop ice cream into tall glasses once that was done Booth opened two bottles of root beer and poured one over a glass of ice cream.

"Booth, what are you doing?"

"I'm making a root beer float, Bones." Brennan looked at Booth questionably.

"You've never had a root beer float, Bones?"

"No."

"Okay, please tell me you've had root beer at least once in your life…"

"If you're referring to the carbonated beverage originally made from the sarsaparilla root, then yes I've had it."

"Good. Did you like it?"

"Yes."

"Great, then you're gonna love this." Booth finished pouring and slid the glass to Brennan and handed her a sundae spoon. He watched Brennan take a small bite.

"Good, huh?"

"Yes, I find that I'm enjoying it very much. "Brennan pushed the ice cream down in her glass and took a bigger bite.

"Great! Next time I'll make you one using orange soda."

"I've never had orange soda."

"I'll order one with an extra glass at the diner tomorrow so you can try it. It's good."


	113. Chapter 113 Engage

A/N: After 10X02….

Booth stood at the counter and looked into the living room at Christine hugging the very large stuffed dog that Sweets had given her for her birthday five months ago. "She's been sitting there since we came home. She didn't touch her dinner. Her teacher she did her work and was well behaved, but she didn't engage with anyone. She didn't want to play with Michael Vincent or go to the park when I asked. That's not like her, I'm getting worried, Booth…"

"Yeah…" Booth went over to Christine and knelt down.

"Hi Christine, do you want to go for a ride with me?"

"Where?"

"I don't know yet, we'll just drive around for a while."

"Okay." Booth picked Christine and the dog up and headed for the door. "We'll be back later Bones." Brennan nodded.

Booth drove to the park where Sweets' ashes were sprinkled 2 weeks before. He grabbed a blanket and flashlight from the back of the SUV and got Christine out. They walked to Sweet's favorite spot and Booth put the blanket down, sitting down and puling Christine into his lap.

"Angel, I know you're sad Uncle Sweets is gone, mommy, Aunt Angela, Uncle Hodgins, Aunt Cam, and I are too and that's okay. But Uncle Sweets wouldn't want you to be so sad you stopped going to the park and playing with Michael Vincent and all your other friends at school just because he's not here anymore."

"I know. It's just that today we were supposed to make a surprise dinner for you and mommy then go to the movies so you could be alone since you were gone so long…. We put it on my calendar!" The tears started flowing down Christine's cheeks, Booth kissed the top of her head. "Aw, baby I'm so sorry. How about tomorrow you and I make a surprise dinner for mommy then we'll all go to the movies, okay?"

"K."

"Let's go to the diner, I'm hungry."

"Okay."

Three hours later Booth put a sleeping Christine in her bed and went to the living room. "I found out why she was so sad today, we're talking care of it tomorrow. You need to be home by 6 or earlier."

"Why?"

"You'll see, trust me?"

"Okay."

"We went to the diner for dinner, she had grilled cheese, apple slices and some of my fries. Then I drove around until she fell asleep."

"At least she ate and is sleeping peacefully."


	114. Chapter 114 Want

A/N: I alluded to this in chapter 75,'wrong'

Brennan's restlessness woke Booth, "Bones, what's wrong?"

"Nothing go back to sleep, I'm sorry I woke you."

"Baby okay?"

"Baby is fine. Go to sleep."

Ten minutes later Booth sat up, "Bones, what's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, I want Pop's spaghetti sauce for some reason…"

Booth smiled, "I can make you some." He started to get up.

"Booth, don't it's 3 A.M."

"So? It's Saturday, we don't have to work today we'll sleep in. What kind of pasta do you want it over?"

"Doesn't matter."

An hour later Booth brought a small bowl of sauce with a little bit of pasta to Brennan who was sitting in his recliner. "Thanks, Booth."

"You're welcome, Bones, enjoy." Booth brought his own pasta over and sat on the couch. Once they were done eating Booth took their bowls to the kitchen and came back to find Brennan sound asleep. He draped a blanket over her and laid down on the couch, quickly falling asleep.


	115. Chapter 115 Blizzard

It was a snow day in the Booth/Brennan household. The kids had slept in. Booth made pancakes for breakfast. Now all six of them sat in Booth's man cave watching movies and eating snacks. Just when it got to the good part of their third movie the power went out and Booth's phone beeped with a text

"A blizzard warning has been issued for all of D.C. until 4pm tomorrow. Everything is closed, everyone has been advised to stay off the roads except for emergency personnel"

"Who wants to play a game?"

"Mommy, can you read to me?"

"Yes, go get your book." Gracie hopped off the couch.

"Parker come help me get the sleeping bags and lanterns out of the camping stuff."

"Okay."

An hour later Parker, Christine, and Max were playing Monopoly while Gracie slept in Brennan's lap.

"This blizzard is a lot better than the last one we were in."

"Yeah, at least we're home with the kids and not stuck in your old elevator…"

"Hey now! That massage you gave me was fantastic!"

Brennan smiled, "the kids will go to bed early if the power is still out… I can do it again…"

"I can't wait."


	116. Chapter 116 Stoic

"Booth, are you sure you should do this? You were only released from the hospital two days ago…"

"I know, but mom needs to know Jared is gone and I don't think she'd handle it that well over the phone."

"Just tell me when we need to stop." Booth nodded and sat back in the car seat.

Three hours later Brennan helped Booth into Marianne and Reggie's townhouse. "Seeley, you're hurt."

"It's nothing mom, just a scratch." Booth smiled a little.

"I know when you're lying to me, Seeley…"

"I'm not here to talk about me, mom. I'm here to talk about Jared."

"What about Jared?"

"He died…" Brennan looked at Booth's stoic expression, it was one she'd seen more than once over the years. She squeezed his hand and helped him up so he could sit next to Marianne on the couch. Booth sat down and put his arms around his mother. After a few minutes she pulled back from Booth's embrace.

"How?"

"He made some bad deals and got in way over his head. He called me a few weeks ago for help, I tried but he was so far in I couldn't do anything but watch him get shot...They shot me too, but thankfully the guy that shot me had lousy aim or I'd be dead too…if Bones and the squints hadn't found me when they did.."

"Did he suffer?"

"No, I'm not sure he realized he'd been hit."

"That's good I suppose. When is the funeral?"

"I'm not sure we have to get his remains back from the crematorium. Years ago he told me what his last wishes were and I made him get them drawn up."

"That's good he did that. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I need to recover for a few weeks, but the worst is behind me."

"That's good. I love you, Seeley."

"I love you too, mom."


	117. Chapter 117 Steal

"A/N Remember Gracie's slightly dramatic birth from chapter 37, 'hell'

Booth sat holding Gracie in the corner of Brennan's room. Brennan had woken up briefly fed Gracie and talked to the doctor when he came in to assure both parents that despite her dramatic birth, Gracie was perfectly fine before falling asleep again.

Booth was so taken with his tiny delicate little girl that he didn't hear the door of the room open and Angela quietly enter. "Careful Booth, she'll steal your heart…"

Booth smiled, "She already has Ange."

"That's good. Everything okay?"

"Yeah. The doctor says Gracie is absolutely perfect. Bones is good too, she's just really tired from them putting her under and labor in general."

Angela nodded, "I'll bring Christine and Max by tomorrow to see Gracie, unless Brennan feels up to seeing them later. Call me and I'll bring them down."

"Sounds go to me. Bones needs a night of rest she hasn't slept well the last few nights."

"I figured as much. I grabbed her bag that was packed by the door when I went over to get stuff for the kids." Angela handed Booth the large duffel bag."

"Thanks Ange, I forgot all about Bones' bag. Max was going to stay at our house with the kids, but then Haley got really sick and Russ and Amy needed his help with Emma more than we did. Plus we still had 12 days before her due date…"

"Don't worry about it, Michael Vincent loves when Christine comes over and Max loves to use Jack as a jungle gym. I love watching them all, so it's a win for everybody."


	118. Chapter 118 Adore

Brennan scribbled her name in the last book and smiled for a picture then as soon as the overly happy fan moved to the door she grabbed her water bottle and headed out the back door of the bookstore. Brennan smiled when she saw Booth's SUV parked right in in front of the door. She climbed in her seat and sighed.

"How are you feeling Bones?"

"Like I want to go home and take a nap."

"You're sick you should just cancel the next signing and go home."

"I'm not contagious, I'll be fine. If I cancel Carrie will reschedule it for next week. I promised Christine I'd take the whole week off while she's on spring break and we'd do things she wants to do. I'm sure she'd be just as happy at home on the couch with me."

"You're taking tomorrow off…" Brennan nodded and pulled a tissue out of the package on the console.

"I got you lemon rice soup and hot tea with honey."

Brennan took the to go cup and took a few sips of tea, "Booth, I adore you."

Booth smiled, I love you too, Bones." I hope something helps, I got you non drowsy cold medication too. Angela called Max still has a slight fever and wants mommy. Christine is having fun at Parker's hockey game. Gracie is having fun at the petting zoo with Grandpa."

"That's good." Brennan started eating her soup. Forty minutes later Booth dropped Brennan off at her second book signing of the day. Four hours later Brennan walked in the house and took Max from Angela and headed for her and Booth's bedroom. Booth smiled a half hour later when he found them both snuggled in bed sound asleep.


	119. Chapter 119 Close Shave

"Stop looking at me like that!"

"How am I looking at you, Booth?"

"Like I'm a set of remains and you're trying to figure out what happened to me."

Brennan smiled a little, "I'm sorry, Booth. I worry every time I get a phone call from the E.R. telling me that you've been hurt. I worry that the doctors will miss something given your previous injuries and trauma. I get scared that this time you won't be okay…"

"Bones, come here." Brennan walked to the gurney Booth was sitting on and took his hand. "I'm fine. This was just a close shave, that's all. I'm sorry that you're worried. The guy had the place wired to blow and before anyone could react it was gone." Brennan lightly touched the bandage on Booth's arm.

"A 'close shave' requires at most a Band-Aid and maybe a little antiseptic cream. Not 7 stitches and an emergency room visit."

"Bones, I'm fine. It was just flying glass and it sliced my arm, it's not that bad."

"It could have severed an artery."

"It could have but it didn't. I'm on over the counter pain killers if I need them. Right now I don't, but later I might. The doctor says I can go back to work today if I want. "

"You're not going back to work today. You're going to spend the rest of the morning and afternoon at home with me and Gracie. Then I will get Christine, Max, and Parker from school along with takeout and we'll spend the evening together relaxing."

"Sounds perfect to me, Bones. I love you."

"I love you too, Booth." Brennan kissed Booth.


	120. Chapter 120 Threat

Brennan rolled he eyes as soon as she saw Aubrey dressed in plain clothes walk into the bookstore behind her. "Booth, said he wasn't coming so I thought maybe he wasn't sending anyone to watch over me."

"He's in meetings all day so he sent me in his place."

"Aubrey, I told Booth I don't need protection at my book signings. I can take care of myself. There hasn't been a threat against me since my second book came out, Booth took care of it."

"And Booth wants to keep it that way. Just do your thing, you won't even know I'm here…"

"I don't suppose I have a choice?"

"Not really, no…"

Brennan chuckled and sat down in the chair to wait until time to start the sighing. Once it started she noticed Aubrey looking through books but watching her at the same time. When the signing was over Brennan watched Aubrey walk up to the counter with a stack of books, among them her new one. Once Aubrey paid for his books he walked over to Brennan. "how was it?"

"Good, you weren't intrusive like Booth sometimes unknowingly is. He isn't bad I just think he gets a little nervous at these things."

"Yeah, that's good for me then."

"Would you like me to sign your book?"

"Sure." Aubrey handed over the book and watched Brennan write something inside. When she was done Aubrey picked up the book and glanced inside. He looked up and smiled, "you're welcome Dr. Brennan. These last three years have been a pleasure. "


	121. Chapter 121 Answer

B"Christine Angela Booth, why did you skip school?"

"I don't know, dad!"

"You don't know! What kind of answer is that? Why'd you skip Christine?" Christine looked at her shoes.

"I'm not that mad, but you need to answer me before you get in more trouble…"

Christine caught Booth's eye in the rearview mirror, "Amber wanted to go to the mall and it sounded fun. She said we'd be back after lunch, in time for afternoon attendance to be taken. I should have just went back to school instead of calling you after she met that guy, but I didn't want to walk back alone…"

"You did the right thing by calling me to come get you. That's mostly why I'm not that mad at you right now. I'm more upset that you walked half way across town by yourself than by the fact you skipped school, I think."

"But did you have to take me back to school so I could be suspended for two days?"

"Yes, the principal needed to know you and Amber ditched."

"She's never gonna talk to me again after you tracked her down and called her mom and asked her to meet us at school…"

"Christine, I had to as a parent and an FBI agent I couldn't let her run off with some boy she didn't know."

"I know. Still sucks though. Do we have to tell mom? She'll kill me once she finds out I'm suspended…"

"WE don't have to tell mom. YOU have to tell mom. She won't kill you, she'll just be very, very displeased that you are going to miss three days of academic instruction with ditching today and being suspended."

"Same thing." Booth chuckled as he pulled into his parking spot at the lab. Brennan looked up surprised to see Christine coming through her office door.

"Christine, are you okay? The school didn't call me…"

"I'm fine. Mom, I skipped school with Amber and went to the mall. Amber met some guy there and left me I called dad to come get me at the mall. Dad tracked Amber's phone and found her. Her mom met us at school and we both got suspended for two days…."

"I see. Your dad and I will discuss the specifics of your punishment at home tonight. In the meantime you can start dusting my office and organizing my files."

"Okay. Mom, Dad, I'm sorry I skipped school."

"We know, Christine. I'll be back in a bit with lunch." Booth kissed the top of Christine's head and left Brennan's office.


	122. Chapter 122 Whirl

The Booth family was spending the day at the amusement park, Max and Gracie were big enough for most of the rides. Gracie refused to go on anything but the kiddie rides.

"Gracie, do you want to ride the tilt-a-whirl?"

"No."

"It's fun Gracie, you might like it."

"Will you go with me, daddy?"

"Of course I'll go with you, Gracie."

"Okay." Booth smiled at Brennan as he and Gracie headed for the tilt-a-whirl. 20 minutes later Booth handed a crying Gracie to Brennan. "She liked it at first, but on the last few spins, it started to upset her stomach."

"Aww sweetheart. Is your stomach still feeling funny?" Gracie nodded, Brennan kissed her forehead." Do you feel like you're going to throw up?" Gracie shrugged. Brennan looked at Booth, "I'm going to take her to the restroom for a little bit to be safe."

"Good idea. I'll stay here and watch Parker with Christine and Max." Booth kissed the top of Gracie's head. Thirty minutes later Brennan walked over to Booth "She did get sick."

"Aww, I'm sorry baby girl. After everybody gets done with this ride we'll head home."

"No, I don't wanna go home!" Brennan grinned at Booth over Gracie's head.

"Okay, how about I recline the stroller so you can take a nap for a little while and hopefully when you wake up your tummy won't feel funny anymore."

"Okay, daddy." Booth reclined the stroller and Brennan laid Gracie down, covering her with Booth's jacket.

An hour later Gracie was feeling better and riding the kiddie train with her daddy.


	123. Chapter 123 Slave

A/N: this is pre Christine

"Booth, we should just go out for Thanksgiving."

"What? No. Why?"

"Because you're the only one who'll eat it and it just seems like a waste to cook the whole big meal for one person."

"I always cook a turkey breast for myself even when I don't have Parker. I freeze half for the next time I have Parker we have Thanksgiving dinner together."

"The smells will more than likely make me nauseated and put an abrupt end to the meal for me."

"I'll slave over the stove in my apartment and bring the completed meal over here."

"Booth you don't have to do that. I can't eat most of the traditional sides because of the dairy products and other things."

"Leave that to me…"

A week later Brennan let Booth and his huge camping cooler into her apartment. "Booth, you're early, I'm still trying to find something that fits. I woke up and the only thing that fit was my pajama pants…"

"Wear them, it's just us." Brennan smiled a little, "Okay."

"I went to that organic market you like and got organic dairy free substitutes for everything I normally make or use. The only things I couldn'tfind substitutes for were the deviled eggs, the marshmallows on the sweet potato casserole. I made you some without. I made you stuffing for you without bread in it I got you tofurkey too." I'm go going to give everything a shot, but the tofurkey. I do have my limits." Booth looked at Brennan and noticed tears running down her cheeks.

"Bones what's wrong?"

"Nothing. No one has ever done anything like this for me before…"

"I wanted too. We have a lot to be thankful for this year." Both kissed Brennan and started putting the food on the table.


	124. Chapter 124 Lick

Brennan leaned on the counter and smiled as she watched Max eat his first ice cream cone.

"Buddy, you need to lick it so the ice cream won't drip all over your hands."

"K." Max licked the ice cream cone.

"Turn it so you can lick all sides…" Max turned the ice cream a little bit and licked it. Brennan shook her head as the ice cream started to run down the other side of the cone. She grabbed a shallow bowl from the cabinet and slid it under Max's hands, hoping to catch the drips and the ice cream if it slid off the cone.

"Just eat it and enjoy, we'll work on eating it neater later…"

"K." Max gave Brennan an ice cream covered grin and continued licking the same spot on his ice cream cone.


	125. Chapter 125 Fanatic

Brennan was in New York for a book signing, she had Gracie with her; they were going to a matinée of the Nutcracker the next day.

"The signing went fine, Booth. Some fanatic came up to me after the signing wanting his book signed, he was a little intense in his request. It scared Gracie a little."

"No Booth she's fine. She calmed down as soon as we got in the cab, we came back to the hotel and had room service. Gracie had spaghetti and I had a salad. I gave her an early bath now she's in her pajamas laying in the middle of the king size bed with he stuffed frog eating a 7 dollar package of M&M's from the mini bar and watching a Disney movie. I haven't told her that she's going to the ballet tomorrow, I want her to sleep tonight."

"No Booth you don't need to come here or send anyone from the New York field office to watch out for us. The guy didn't touch either of us, he was just a little loud. You know how easily Gracie startles."

"I will. We'll call you in the morning, then before we get on the plane. Our flight lands at 7. I love you too, Booth."

Brennan got ready for bed and climbed in beside the four year old. "Let's take our picture and send it to daddy."

"Okay." Brennan held her phone up and Gracie ginned as she snapped the picture and sent it to Booth.


	126. Chapter 126 Misty

Brennan stood at the window looking out into the back yard, she felt Booth come up behind her and wrap his arms around her. "The yard is quite misty this morning, but it's beautiful."

"Yep. That beautiful mist has caused all schools to be on a 2 hour fog delay."

"I'll stay with the kids."

"You can't, we have a case and Cam needs us both there now…"

"I'll see if Christine will take Max and Gracie to school…"

"I'll go make our coffee, I'm thinking we'll need big cups today…"

Brennan nodded and headed for Christine's room. Five minutes later Booth and Brennan were on their way to the crime scene.

"Did I see you give Christine money to take Max and Gracie to school, Bones?"

"No, I didn't give Christine money to take Max and Gracie to school. I gave her money to get pizza or go to the diner when she gets them from school this afternoon. We're going to be working late tonight and she was supposed to go out with Josh tonight, but she said she'd babysit instead…"

"She must want something if she's postponing a date…"

"I think she's working on breaking up with him…

"Good, I don't like him…"

"Booth!"

"What? I don't…"

It was almost midnight when Booth and Brennan walked through the door to find the TV and DVD player still on, the pizza box and other snacks spread out on the coffee table and the three kids on various furniture pieces sound asleep.

"Looks like everybody had fun. Let's leave everything here and go to bed ourselves."

"Okay." Brennan turned off the TV and pulled blankets over everybody. 


	127. Chapter 127 Ocean

Booth smiled when he heard Christine squeal as Brennan held onto her and they waded into ankle deep ocean water. They were in Florida on vacation. Booth had finally convinced Brennan to go on a real vacation, no work, no bodies, and no outlines for Kathy and Andy's next adventure, just sun, sand, and surf. After watching them for a few more minutes Booth walked over and scooped Christine up. The eighteen month old immediately squirmed to get down, Booth kissed her cheek and stood her between himself and Brennan.

"Somebody is having fun…"

Brennan smiled, "Yes, Christine is enjoying squishing the sand between her toes."

"Let's take a walk then relax in our beach chairs for a while, the fresh air is making me sleepy."

"Me too. plus it's almost nap time. " Brennan took Christine's other hand and the family started down the beach. Ten minutes later after stopping to look at shells or for Christine to squish the sand between her toes every few minutes Booth sat with Christine in his chair. "Down!"

Booth chuckled, "You can play later after I read to you mommy brought The Poky Little Puppy and your other favorites too."

"Poky!" Booth grabbed the book from the tote bag and started to read. At the book's end he draped a clean beach towel over a sleeping Christine and fell asleep himself.


	128. Chapter 128 Sting

Christine was learning to ride he bike and after 45 minutes of walking beside her holding on to the bike to keep it steady as she did laps up and down the driveway Booth let go. Christine did fine until she hit the slight dip in the driveway. Booth couldn't stop her from hitting the ground, all he could do is pick her up after she fell. "Are you okay, Christine?"

"Yeah. You let go, I told you not to let go, daddy!"

"I'm sorry sweetheart. You were doing so well I didn't think you needed me to hold on anymore. You rode your bike all by yourself and did well until you hit the little dip in the driveway." Booth kissed her cheek

"Daddy…" Booth followed Christine's gaze to the small bleeding scrape an inch below her knee pad. He stood up with Christine in his arms. "It's just a tiny scrape, let's go inside and get a Band-Aid."

"K." Booth carried Christine inside and sat her on a stool, then he pulled the first aid kit out. He cleaned the scrape and picked up the anti-bacterial spray. "This is going to sting for a few minutes and I'm sorry, but I have to use it."

"K."

Brennan and Max chose that minute to come home. "Mommy, daddy let me fall off my bike!" Brennan raised an eyebrow "She was doing fine so I let go and she did fine until she hit the dip and lost control a little. I couldn't stop her from falling. It's small scrape." Booth stepped aside and let Brennan look at it before he put the Band-Aid on it.

"You'll be okay, sweetheart. Daddy didn't mean to let you fall." Brennan kissed Christine's temple and reached in her pocket and pulled out a sucker. "The teller at the bank gave this to Max for being good, but you can have it since he's only 9 months old."

"Thanks, Mommy."

"You're welcome, Christine."


	129. Chapter 129 Trample

Brennan was sitting on the couch with the ads from the newspaper writing something, "What are you doing, Bones?"

"I'm making a list of the items I need to get when Angela and I go Black Friday shopping tomorrow."

"Oh ho no you're not going Black Friday shopping tomorrow, no way!"

"Why not?"

"You're almost 8 months pregnant, Bones. People go crazy and trample each other I won't let you risk yourself or the baby for Christmas presents."

"Booth, I wouldn't endanger myself or the baby you know that…"

"I know. People are crazy and don't care about anything other than getting the toy or whatever they want."

"Booth…"

"Bones, I'd die if something happened to you or the baby. Make the list and I'll get up at the crack of dawn and go for you. I'll take Angela with me. You two can go later in the week if you want to go shopping together."

"Fine..."

"Thank you." Booth kissed Brennan.

Very early the next morning Booth kissed a sleeping Brennan goodbye and grabbed the list before heading to pick up Angela.

Hours later Booth came home. "How was it, Booth?"

"Crazy. I left the bags in the SUV, I'll bring them in after Christine and Hank go to bed. I got everything on your list plus a few other things I saw that they'll like."

"Thank you for going shopping, Booth. To be honest I didn't feel like going when I got up this morning."

"You're welcome, Bones. You're okay aren't you?"

"Yes. The baby had a limb lodged in my ribs for a little while and it was uncomfortable, but he or she has since moved and I'm fine."

"Good. I'm not going Black Friday shopping ever again…"


	130. Chapter 130 Drop

"I wanna carry it!"

"No, you'll drop it and ruin it!"

"Daddy, Chrissy won't let me carry Mommy's present!"

"Christine, let Max carry the box, he won't ruin it if he drops it."

"But he'll squish the bow!"

"No I won't!"

"Will to!"

"If you two don't quit fighting, Gracie and I will give Mommy her birthday breakfast in bed and you two can go to your rooms." Booth took the box from Christine and gave it to Max. He gave a pouting Christine the bouquet of daisies he'd gotten Brennan.

"Do you have the balloons, Gracie?"

"Uh-huh."

"Let's go and remember be quiet until I open the door…" Booth picked up the tray of waffles, fresh fruit, and coffee and headed for his and Brennan's bedroom. Booth quietly opened the door and stepped back, letting the kids enter. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOMMY!" Brennan rolled over and pushed herself up in surprise, "Thanks, guys!"

"Daddy made you breakfast, I got to help though."

Booth sat the tray over Brennan's lap, "Everybody helped. Happy Birthday, Bones!"

"Thanks, Booth. I'm sure breakfast will be great!" before Brennan could take a bite, Max climbed on the bed and gave Brennan the box, "open your present, Mommy." Brennan took the box and pulled off the bow and paper, then she opened the box to find a charm bracelet with a skull, handcuffs, a book, a daisy and daffodil, Jupiter, a pig, a heart with hers and Booth's initials on one side and their wedding date on the other and 4 baby blocks with the kids birthstones in them as charms.

"It's beautiful, I love it. Thankyou." Booth fastened the bracelet on Brennan's wrist and handed her a card. "This is from Parker." Brennan nodded and opened the card, "it's a gift card for dinner for both of us at Marcella's and he says he'll be home to babysit next weekend so we can use it."

"I can't wait!"


	131. Chapter 131 Complain

A/N: This goes along with chapters 43 'punch' and 97 'hangover'

"Dad, this isn't fair. You've taken Gracie to every single ballet lesson and recital she's EVER had!"

"It's plenty fair Christine, given what you did, I actually think you're getting off easy. I know I've taken Gracie to every single ballet lesson and recital she's ever had and after 8 years of doing it every Thursday and Saturday I think I deserve a break."

"But the lessons are SO boring and take so long because she has to practice after class until it's perfect or you drag her home…"

"Gracie gets her need for perfection from your mother. Try to get her home by 6, Parker is coming for dinner and your mom is making meatloaf, green beans, and macaroni and cheese."

"Okay. Dad you can ground me for an extra two months if I don't have to take Gracie to ballet…"

"Christine, the more you complain about taking her, the longer I'll make you take her. Just maybe if you take her without complaining about it for a few weeks I'll take pity on you and take her myself…"

Christine looked at her watch and yelled up the stairs, "Gracie, come on let's go. I'm leaving in five minutes with or without you!"

"Okay."

Booth handed Christine latest Joanne Fluke mystery, "I got you something for the wait."

"Thanks, dad."

"You're welcome."


	132. Chapter 132 Inject

A/N: Continuation of chapter 24, 'slip'

"Daddy, I don't want to get a shot!" Christine had tears rolling down her cheeks as Booth and Brennan were doing their best to keep her still so the doctor could numb the gash on her forehead.

"I know, baby girl. Mommy and I wish you didn't have to get one, but you need special medicine so the doctor can fix your cut on your forehead without it hurting. Just lay really still and it'll all be over before you know it. When we get home we'll sit and watch movies for the rest of the afternoon."

"I wanna sit on Mommy's lap."

"Okay, you can sit on Mommy's lap and watch movies." Booth watched the doctor quietly inject the medication around the cut.

"With my rabbit and blanket…"

Booth smiled, "you and your rabbit can snuggle under your blanket and sit on mommy's lap as long as you want. Think about what movie we're going to watch."

"Paddington!"

"Good choice, it's my favorite!"

"I'll be back in a few minutes to finish."

"Thanks doc." The doctor nodded and slipped out of the room.

"Mommy, can I have ice cream when we get home?"

"Yes. I just talked to Angela and Max and Gracie are going to spend the night with her so, you can spend the night resting with me and daddy. Sound good?"

"Yeah." An hour and half later Christine was sitting on Brennan's lap wrapped in her blanket with her rabbit eating a bowl of chocolate ice cream while watching Paddington.


	133. Chapter 133 Tour

Booth and Brennan sat down at the at the kitchen counter for dinner, they hardly ate at the table now that all the kids had moved out. Brennan put some rice on her fork. "My publisher called this morning, she wants me to go on a month long coast to coast book tour for the new book."

Booth took a sip of water, "are you going to do it, Bones?"

"I don't really want to, I don't really like doing a book tour to be honest. I sort of feel obligated to do it; Carrie has been trying to get me to do one since Christine was three. I always said no because I didn't want to leave her and our other kids that long and I didn't want to take them with me and do it. Now that Parker has a job and an apartment and Christine is at Wake Forest, Max is at Temple and Gracie's at Georgetown I can't use the kids being home and not wanting to be away from them as an excuse not to do it."

"Tell Carrie to get you two plane tickets together when she starts planning."

"Why would I need two tickets together, Booth? Carrie never sits with me on the flights…"

"I'm coming with you, Bones."

"Booth, I don't need a bodyguard, I can take care of myself."

"I know, but I don't want to spend a whole month away from you Bones."

"What about your job at the Jeffersonian?"

"I'm entitled to a month's vacation after a years' worth of employment, my year is up next Tuesday."

"You'll be bored…"

"I'll be with you, that's all I need."

"I'll call Carrie in the morning then."


	134. Chapter 134 Cough

Booth stirred when he felt Brennan get out of bed, "Bones?"

"I heard one of the kids cough, I think it was Gracie." Brennan hurried from the bedroom. A few minutes later Booth's concern for whichever kid was sick won out and he got up and headed to the hall bathroom. He found Gracie sitting on the sink refusing to let Brennan give her medicine. "No Mommy I don't want it!"

"I know, but it will help you feel better."

"NO!" Gracie turned her head away from Brennan and the dosage cup of medicine and caught sight of Booth. "Daddy!" Booth walked over to Gracie and picked her up. "She has a fever of 101.4, her throat is sore. Her nose is congested and she has a cough."

"Gracie Belle let Mommy give you the medicine it will help you not cough so much. After you take it we'll go sit on the couch, I'll hold you." Gracie turned in Booth's arms just enough for Brennan to give he the medicine and a little water. After Gracie took the medicine she buried her head in Booth's shoulder, he kissed the top of her head. Booth made his way to the living room and sat on the couch with Gracie.

"Are you feeling better, Gracie?"

"No."

"Go to sleep, you'll feel better in the morning when you wake up."

"K."

Brennan came in the room just as Gracie was nodding off. "Bones, go back to bed, we both don't need to be up with her. I've got days I'll stay home with her and you can stay home with whoever gets it next."

Brennan smiled and kissed Gracie's forehead, "she feels a little cooler. Wake me up if her fever gets worse, you know how high her fevers get."

"She'll be fine, I'll wake you up if I need to."

"Okay." Brennan felt Gracie's forehead one more time and then headed for bed.


	135. Chapter 135 Weapon

"Dad, I can explain…"

"Not now, get your stuff and get in the SUV."

Max wordlessly grabbed his backpack and followed Booth outside to the SUV and got in the back. Once Booth had pulled into traffic Max tried again, "Dad-"

"You really need to be quiet right now…" Max stayed quiet all the way home and got nervous when he saw Brennan's car in the driveway. He knew that if his dad had called his mom home from work in the middle of the day he was in for it. Brennan was sitting at the counter waiting for them. "Maxwell Joseph Booth, what were you thinking taking your Swiss Army knife to school?" Booth took his suit jacket off and put his hand on Brennan's shoulder.

"I wasn't going to use it. Eric wanted to see it so I took it to school to show him…"

"It doesn't matter, it's a weapon and having a weapon on school grounds is grounds for expulsion, and the police are notified. You could've ended up in juvenile detention. Since I'm Assistant Deputy Director of the FBI the principal and local police are letting me handle the situation. You're suspended for a month. I'm taking everything you own from your room except for your bed. Your mother has bought you a new wardrobe of black shirts and khaki pants for the month. Bedtime is 9pm. Wake up is 5:30am. Same as the juvenile detention center. You will be doing your own laundry you will be the gopher at the lab during the day and you will be doing your chores plus anything else your mother and I tell you to. You will not have TV or computer time for at least 2 months, however you can read and spend as much time with your sisters as you want. "The knife is mine until you turn 18. Understood?"

"Yes Sir."

"Good now go upstairs and start helping me move your stuff to the basement." Max nodded and headed to his room.


	136. Chapter 136 Horny

Brennan smiled slightly when she heard Booth's keys in the lock, she continued making the salad to go along with their dinner. Booth quietly made his way into the kitchen and snaked his arms around Brennan's waist and kissed her. "Booth, you're home."

"Yeah. I missed you so much."

"I missed you very much too." Booth tried to deepen the kiss, Brennan turned away slightly. "Booth the children are upstairs and they'll be down here and a matter of minutes when they figure out you're home. I'd rather not have them walk in on something we'd have to explain…"

"I don't care Bones, I haven't seen you in almost two weeks I'm dying here…"

"No you're not, you're just horny."

"Yeah… aren't you?"

"Slightly, I've had other things to occupy my time and thoughts…"

"Well I haven't, the conference was mind- numbing…"

"Poor Booth. Let me finish getting dinner ready while you say hello to the kids. I'll try to get everyone in bed early so we can have more time to ourselves."

"Can't your dad take the kids? Or Parker?"

"Dad is at Russ and Amy's. Parker is studying for midterms. Early bedtime is the best we can do unless you want to wait…"

"Early bedtime is good…" Booth headed upstairs.

Not too long after dinner Brennan found Booth in his man cave. "Max and Gracie are having a sleepover in Christine's room. She promised to keep everyone quiet and in her room until the morning. You have to take her skating on Saturday as payment…"

"It's a deal, I'll even spring for hot chocolate. Come here, Bones…"

A/N: I think everyone can fill in the blank on what happens next… :P


	137. Chapter 137 Film

Booth carried a cardboard envelope into the kitchen, "Bones, did you write another book? Your publisher overnighted you something."

"No, it's the contact to sell the film rights to my latest book. You can read it if I you'd like."

Booth sat at the counter and opened the envelope, he pulled out the stack of papers and quickly scanned them. "Bones, you sold the rights for half a million?"

"Yes, Bone of Contention did so well that the studio was willing to pay anything to get the rights to Silence in Bones. They won't start filming until the summer I thought we could take the kids with us and rent a beach house for a few weeks and watch filming and go to Disneyland and do other activities."

"Sounds great to me, Bones. Let's hope no one gets murdered this time."

"I hope that no one does. I've talked to Parker and he isn't taking summer classes this year so he's coming along to help act as a babysitter if we need him to."

"Good. We'll need him to babysit at least once, I plan on having at least one romantic candlelit dinner with you before we come home."

"Sounds lovely, Booth. I can't wait."

A/N: The new book title is a play on Kathy Reichs' latest Temperance Brennan novel, "Speaking in Bones"


	138. Chapter 138 Change

A/N: This is a continuation of chapter 119, 'a close shave'.

"Booth, your bandage is wet from your shower, go sit on the bed so I can change it.

Booth nodded and sat down on the bed. Brennan got a new bandage and tape from the small bag of supplies Booth was sent home from the ER with and sat down next to him. Brennan tried to pull the tape off without pulling too much arm hair. "Just rip it off, Bones, it hurts more if you go slowly."

"Okay." Brennan pulled the last piece off, "ow, damn it, Bones!"

"What you told me to rip it off..."

"Yeah, but I meant rip the tape off, not my skin too!"

"Sorry, that's why I was doing it slowly."

Christine came in the room then," mommy, what are you doing?"

"I'm putting a new bandage over daddy's stitches to keep the germs out." Christine walked over and looked at the cut." Daddy?" Christine had tears in her eyes.

"Baby girl, I'm fine. It looks worse than it is. It doesn't even hurt."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Christine, do you want to help me?"

"Uh-huh."

Brennan handed Christine the roll of tape, "Hold the tape so it can tear strips off to put on daddy's bandage."

"Okay." Once Brennan was done Booth turned his attention to Christine, "go get your books and we can lay in here and I'll read to you for a little while."

"Okay." Once Christine left the room, Brennan turned to Booth, "She's one of the four reasons you need two be more careful, Booth."

"What about you? Aren't you my fifth reason to be more careful, Bones?"

"Yes, but if something bad happened to you, it'd be harder on the children than me."


	139. Chapter 139 Creep

Booth's eyes opened when he heard the bedroom door quietly open and two sets of little feet creep across the floor. He laid still and closed his eyes when he felt tow small bodies climb on the bed beside him. Once they were both still Booth reached over and pulled the closest body to him. Gracie giggled softly, "Daddy! Mommy said not to wake you up because you got home after we went to bed."

"That was nice of her, but you two didn't wake me up, I was already awake. Where is Chrissy?"

"Parker picked her up already, they went to hockey camp, remember?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot."

Gracie yawned and Booth looked at the clock, it was barely 6:30 in the morning. 'Go back to sleep, guys it still early."

"We're not tired…"

Booth kissed Gracie's head, "did you have breakfast yet?"

"No, Chrissy and mommy got up late. Parker said they'd go have breakfast somewhere and mommy said she'd make us something after Chrissy left."

"Okay. Lay here with me for a little while and I'll get up and make everybody pancakes." Booth pulled the blanket over Gracie and Max and smiled slightly as they snuggled down and closed their eyes.

"Okay."

Ten minutes later Brennan quietly peeked i=in the bedroom and smiled, Booth, Gracie and Max were all tangled together, sleeping soundly.


	140. Chapter 140 Complete

A/N: From here until the end some of these will be snippets of Max's punishment in chapter 119, 'weapon'

Max was three days into his month long suspension from school for being in possession of a weapon on school property. When he wasn't being the lab gopher he was in Brennan's office doing assignments.

"Max, you need to compete a large portion of your history project today."

"I know, but it's hard. Dad is making me use books for sources. I'd Googled a ton of stuff the night before… then I have to write it out and wait until I get ungrounded to type it or pay Christine 10 bucks to do it for me.."

Brennan smiled and grabbed some things off the credenza behind her desk and walked over to Max.

"Since you'd saved your search, your father and I decided that you could use the sources as information for your project." Brennan pulled out a thick file folder and laid it on the coffee table. "I printed out the most relevant information for you last night."

"Thanks mom."

"You're welcome." Brennan pulled out a laptop next, Max started to grin. "Don't get excited, Aunt Angela disabled all the programs except for the Microsoft Office Suite." Max looked dejected, Brennan put a finger under his chin. "It was very hard on your father to punish you the way did, he doesn't like being overly tough on any of you. He's trying to be a little bit lax by finding work arounds for things he knows you need, but technically aren't allowed to have due to being grounded."

"I know. I really messed up, didn't I?"

"Yes. I'll be on the platform if you need me." Brennan kissed the top of his head.

"Okay." Max sighed and turned on the laptop.


	141. Chapter 141 Challenge

Booth and Brennan folded themselves onto small brightly colored chairs in front of a half-moon table.

"Mr. and Mrs. Booth, thank you for meeting with me this afternoon. I can imagine how busy the both of you are."

"You're welcome Ms. Kuzin. Is Christine behaving unsatisfactorily?"

"No, Christine is an absolute joy to have in class. If the rest of the class were as well-mannered as Christine is my day would be a lot easier. To be frank Christine is far too intelligent for kindergarten. The things we're learning aren't a challenge for her. She has most of the assignments done before I finish explaining them to the other students. One afternoon last week I got a math and English worksheet from one of the first grade teachers and had Christine do them while everyone else was working on the same subjects here. Christine completed them in no time." Ms. Kuzin handed the sheets to Brennan. "Booth, she got every math problem right. The English worksheet is perfect." Booth looked at Ms. Kuzin, "are you saying that Christine is a genius?"

"Yes, or at the very least extremely gifted. I recommend getting her tested to see where she is exactly. I've also spoken to the principal and the first grade teacher that I got the worksheets from, and they both agree that Christine should be at the very least placed in first grade. Depending on her I.Q. she could go into second grade…"

"Bones, our little girl is a genius…"

"We always knew she was advanced, Booth."

"Yeah, but maybe skipping two grades is more than I imagined…"

"I know this is a lot to think about and discuss, but I'd advise that Christine get tested soon to prevent her from becoming disinterested in school."

Brennan nodded, "we will, thank you Ms. Kuzin." A little more than an hour later Christine was sitting at the counter in the kitchen watching Booth and Brennan finish making spaghetti.

"Mommy, Daddy why'd I have to go home with Michael Vincent today?'

"Because Ms. Kuzin wanted to talk to us about how special you are. How would feel about being in the first grade instead of kindergarten?"

"That would be okay, Mommy, kindergarten is boring the worksheets are easy." Booth smiled at Brennan.

"Angel Ms. Kuzin said you might be able to go into second grade. you need to get tested to see how smart you are first though."

"Can I be in Michael Vincent's class if I get to be in second grade?"

Booth laughed, "We'll see."

"Okay."


	142. Chapter 142 Blow

It was Gracie's fourth birthday and despite the unseasonably cold and snowy January day the entire extended Booth family along with the squints were gathered in Booth and Brennan's dining room singing a terribly off key version of "Happy Birthday to you "to the excited four year old.

"Okay Gracie Belle, make a wish and blow out the candles." Before Gracie could take a breath, the 4 pink glittery candles atop her pink princess cake were smoldering.

"Daddy! The candles are gone!" Gracie was on the verge of tears.

"It's all right, Gracie. I'll re-light them." Booth pulled his lighter out of his pants pocket and lit the candles again. "Max, let your sister blow out her own candles. No one blew yours out for you when it was your birthday."

"Fine." Just to be safe Parker put his hand over Max's mouth while Gracie blew out her birthday candles.


	143. Chapter 143 Pass

I

A/N: this kinda goes along with Max's punishment storyline from chapter 139, 'weapon'

"Everything okay, Bones? You look concerned."

Brennan pulled the blankets back on her side of the bed and climbed in, Booth turned on his side toward her. "I am concerned about Max even though he has some of his assignments, he's going to be so behind after a month suspension. Hodgins is helping him with math and science as time allows and I'm covering the other subjects in-between cases and the other kids-"

"Then I'm sure he's fine. He's probably learning more from you and Hodgins in a month than he will from his teachers all year…"

"Yes, but school isn't as easy for him like it is Parker, Christine, and Gracie. He struggles to get B's and C's. He tries so hard, I never realized how much he struggles with math until he tried to do the first assignment on his own. That's why I asked Hodgins to help him. He really excels at history…"

"Then he'll pass the 6th grade and the rest of middle school plus high school with flying colors and go to college and major in history and work at the Jeffersonian someday…"

"You don't know that, Booth."

"I don't, but I do know that whatever he or any of the kids grow up to do we'll both be ecstatic for them."

"Yeah and I think Max would make a good historian."

"Me too. Plus he'd love it."

"He would, very much…"


	144. Chapter 144 Reminisce

Booth found Brennan sitting in Gracie's room. "Bones, there you are. Are you okay?'

"Yes, Booth. I was just sitting here thinking. This is the first time in 24 years we haven't had a least one child in the house."

"Yeah, it's hard to believe all the kids are in college or working." Booth sat down next to Brennan and put his arm around her shoulders.

"And in Parker's case planning a wedding."

"Yeah. You know I'm going to enjoy having the having the house to ourselves. No homework to check, no ballet, soccer hockey, chess club and academic super bowl to taxi anyone to."

"You loved doing all of that."

"I did, but I'm going to love spending time alone with you more. We never got to really do that by the time we admitted we loved each other you were pregnant and before I knew it Christine was here."

"I'm going to enjoy spending time alone with you too, Booth. Very much…"

Booth grinned and started pulling Brennan to her feet. "What do you say we go order Thai, eat it out of the carton like we used to and reminisce about the last 30 plus years."

"That sounds nice, Booth. As long as we can call the children later and tell them goodnight and that we love them."

"Of course we can, Bones." Booth kissed Brennan's temple.


	145. Chapter 145 Rain

Brennan was working late, something that rarely happened anymore, but sometimes it was necessary. Booth had gotten the kids fed and played games with them until bedtime. Now he was up waiting on Brennan to get home hopefully before the slow steady rain that had been falling most of the afternoon turned into a severe thunderstorm.

"Daddy?" Booth turned to see Gracie standing by the couch, dressed in her pink footy pajamas, and holding her stuffed frog. "Gracie, what are you doing up? It's late you should be sleeping."

"Is mommy home yet?"

"No. she will be soon, though. Let's get you back in bed." Booth walked over to Gracie and picked her up.

"I wanna stay up until mommy comes home!"

"Okay." Booth turned and walked over to the couch and sat down with Gracie in his lap. Forty- five minutes later Brennan walked in the front door. "Booth, Gracie should be on bed!"

"She was. She got up to see if you were home and when I told her you weren't she wanted to wait for you to come home. She made it about five minutes after I got her covered up. "Brennan smiled and walked over to the couch and picked Gracie up. "Mommy…"

"I'm home, go back to sleep…" Gracie snuggled into Brennan's arms as she carried her down the hall to her bedroom.


	146. Chapter 146 Dive

Booth hurried to get Max out of his crib before he woke 3 day old Gracie. He found Brennan there attempting to pick Max up. "Bones, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like, Booth? I'm getting Max up from his nap."

"Let me do it, the doctor said no lifting anything over 5 pounds." Booth reached into the crib and picked Max up, holding him so Brennan could give him a kiss.

"I'm perfectly capable of getting him up, Booth. "

"I know, but you had major surgery 3 days ago. You've only been home for a few hours. You can't just dive right in like you did after Christine and Max were born. You need to heal. Go sit on the couch and I'll bring him to you when I get him changed."

Brennan nodded, "I miss doing things with them though."

"I know. Give yourself a week or two and ease back into doing things. Be prepared Christine has lots of things to tell you about the third grade." Booth finished changing Max and stood him up on the changing table, he reached for Brennan. "You can see mommy in a minute, buddy." Booth and Max followed Brennan to the living room couch.


	147. Chapter 147 Jobless

"Dad, can I move back in with you and Bones for a little while?"

"I thought you were applying for jobs?"

"I am. I sent out a ton of résumés all over. Here, L.A., New York, Chicago, and some little hole in the wall town in Montana, and a bunch of other places. I've gotten interviews, but no firm offers yet. I don't want to get an apartment then have to move to Montana or somewhere in a few months or less."

"You can move in, but after 2 months you have to get a job. You can live here as long as you want, but I'm not supporting your jobless self for more than 2 months..."

"Thanks dad."

"You're welcome, Bub. You know Christine is going to go nuts when she finds out you're living with us again. "

"I know, every other Saturday is her day to do whatever she wants with me."

"You may as well go reserve ice time now."

Parker laughed, "I should."

Five weeks later Booth carried his big camping cooler into Parker's new apartment in Richmond Virginia. "You're welcome to come over for dinner anytime you want to, especially Sundays."

"I know, thanks for all the help moving, dad."

"You're welcome, bub."

"What's the cooler for?"

Booth smiled, "since Bones knows you won't cook much, if at all she's been squirreling away meals for you for the last month. She also sent copies of the recipes for your favorites."

"Bones didn't have to do that."

"She wanted too. I hope you have a lot of freezer space, because she sent a lot of stuff and I was told not to come back with any of it. She used her 'teacher voice'"

"My kitchen is empty except for my Keurig and the dishes mom sent."

Booth laughed and headed for the kitchen. "Bones also sent a set of pots and pans and a toaster. I told her you'd get more use out of that than a blender…"


	148. Chapter 148 Bored

"Booth, I'm so bored!" Booth put a basket of requested items next to Brennan and sat down on the bed. "You've been on bedrest for a little more than two hours, Bones. How can you be bored all ready?"

"Because I have a lot of things to do. I'm not ready for Clark to take over for me yet. I have 8 and a half weeks before the time we agreed that I'd quit working before the baby's arrival. I could rest on my couch in my office."

"Except we both know you wouldn't do that. You'd be on the platform or limbo." Brennan put a hand on her baby bump and smiled when the baby kicked her hand. "Yeah…" Booth leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Rest until Monday and I'll go to the lab and get your files and have Angela set up a video link so you can work from bed."

"That's a whole week away! I need something to do now…"

"You are doing something, you're slowing down so the little guy stays put and grows until it's time for him to come out and see us. Christine will be home from preschool soon. She'll be happy we're both home."

"Yeah…" Booth kissed Brenan's forehead again and left the room. Forty- five minutes later Christine stuck her head in the bedroom. "Mommy, are you sick?"

"No, come here and sit next to me." Christine came all the way into the room and climbed onto the bed. "If you're not sick, then why do you gotta stay in bed?"

Brennan tucked Christine's hair behind her ear. "I went to the doctor this morning so he could check on the baby and the doctor thinks the baby might be born too soon and if he is he'll be very sick. I have to stay in bed to try and prevent your brother from being born early so he can grow and not be sick when he's born."

"Oh. The baby is okay right?'"

"For now your brother is fine, but that could change at any time."

"Okay. Wanna watch a movie?"

Brennan smiled, "go pick one out."


	149. Chapter 149 Smuggle

Booth was sitting in the living room watching T.V. when a package of Oreos landed in his lap, he looked up to see Brennan standing to his left, smirking.

"Where did these come from, Bones?"

"Your stash."

"What?"

"Your stash of junk food in your man cave."

"…How?"

"Little tip, don't have Gracie with you when you smuggle your junk food in the house. She can't keep a secret, she told me when I was giving her a bath."

"I can't believe I got ratted out by a three year old! I suppose you're going to make me get rid of it now…"

"No, you can keep it. Just know I might raid it occasionally, now that I know you have gummi bears."

"Those are Christine's I get her a bag and she has to make it last for two months. The M&M's are Gracie's. The Twizzlers are for Max. They get one bag to make last at least two months. The get in to it when we do movie nights when you work late."

"The children can keep their stash and I'll never tell them I know. What are the granola bars for?"

"That's our deal, they get whatever a serving is of their candy then they have to get a granola bar or one of those fruit things you keep in the fridge."

"That's good."

"What do you want me to put in the stash for you, Bones?"

"Nothing really, but if you want to get me something, I love that dark chocolate bark from the candy store by the lake..."


	150. Chapter 150 Starve

"Mom, can I have a snack?'

"No dinner will be ready in 30 minutes."

"Thirty Minutes! I'll starve to death by then!"

"No you won't, Max a person can live for approximately 21 days without food. You can only live for approximately a week without water so, you'd die of dehydration before you'd die of starvation."

"What are we having anyway?"

"Baked spaghetti squash with your great- grandfather's famous spaghetti sauce and a little cheese melted over it and salad."

"We always have that..."

"We do eat it frequently because it of one of the few meatless things I can get your father to eat without complaining."

"Can we have real spaghetti soon?"

"Yes. Set the table, please."

"It's Chrissy's night to."

"It is, but your dad just texted and said that her practice ran long and now they're stuck in traffic. He also said to eat whenever it's ready and not to wait for them. Christine can take your night the day after tomorrow."

"Fine." Max went to the cabinet and got three plates down and started setting the table.


	151. Chapter 151 Lucky

"Today was Booth and Brennan's 12 anniversary and instead of going out to dinner Brennan had insisted they stay home and have dinner with all the kids. After a dinner of macaroni and cheese, pot roast, and broccoli they were in the man cave watching a movie "How did we get so lucky, Bones.". Booth rubbed Christine's back as she fell asleep against him watching the movie.

"I don't believe in luck, Booth you know that."

"Then what do you call the last 12 years the 9 before that and 3 kids? After all the stuff we've been through, it's a miracle we're still together."

"Booth, we're together because we choose to be, nothing more nothing less. I'm extremely grateful that we've chosen to be together all these years though."

"Me too, Bones. Parker's here and the kids are all asleep. Let's let them sleep down here tonight and go show each other how grateful we are."

"Okay." Brennan carefully laid Gracie down on the couch and pulled a blanket over her before she stood up. Once Booth carefully laid Christine on the other couch he turned everything off and made everybody was still asleep. Booth and Brennan took one last look around the room at Max sleeping in a pile of blankets and Parker in Booth's recliner then they headed upstairs.


	152. Chapter 152 Stoned

"Dad, is mom okay? She's just kinda staring off into space. When she tried to talk it sounded like she had rocks in her mouth. Where are Max and Gracie?"

"Your mom is fine Christine, she had oral surgery this afternoon and the painkillers hit her hard. Basically mom is stoned, she's getting better. It's going to take time for the really strong meds they gave her at the dentists to leave her system. She should be fine by tonight." Booth moved to the freezer and pulled out an icepack and wrapped it in a towel. "Take this icepack to her and ask her if she needs anything. Max and Gracie are with grandpa. After I saw how out of it mom was from the medicines I thought they'd be better off at grandpa's for the night. Mom has to take it a little easy for the next few days and if your brother and sister were running around she wouldn't do that."

"Okay." Christine took the icepack and headed for the living room. A few minutes later Christine was back in the kitchen. "She wants water." Booth nodded and took a water bottle and juice box from the fridge," water for mom, juice for you. Go do your homework. Don't bug mom, she needs to rest."

"Okay." Christine picked up the juice and the bottle of water and went back to the living room. Ten minutes later Booth found Christine sitting at the coffee table doing a math worksheet while Brennan slept.


	153. Chapter 153 Spike

A/N: Half way done with the second set of words. My goal is to finish by 4/14….

It was crazy hair day at the kids' school Brennan didn't understand it really, but she got up a half hour earlier to style Christine and Gracie's hair into as many ponytails as she could then braid Christine 's. Booth was in his and Brennan's bathroom trying to spike Max's hair.

"Make them bigger, dad!"

Booth smiled slightly, "I can't, buddy your hair isn't ling enough for that."

"Oh. My hair is still crazy though right?"

"You'll have the craziest hair in the third grade!"

"Cool!" Booth laughed and finished up. When everybody was ready Booth had Christine, Max, Gracie, and Parker who had taken leftover pink and purple Halloween hair dye and put stripes in his hair, all pile on the couch for a picture. As soon as the picture was taken the kids started to get up. "Hold it. One more picture, this time with mom…"

"No Booth!"

"Please. I want the five people in the world to me in one silly picture…" Booth flashed a charm smile.

"Fine..." Brennan walked to the couch and picked up Gracie and sat down. Once Booth took the picture Brennan stood up and took the camera from him. "It's your turn, Booth…"

A/N2: In my head the kids go to a small private school with K-12 in one building…


	154. Chapter 154 Illusive

Brennan put the magazine she was leafing through aside when she heard Booth's keys in the lock. He looked up in surprise when he saw Brennan on the couch. "Bones, you should be in bed, you have to get up in three hours!"

"So do you, Booth. You've been illusive the last few nights, coming home after I'm in bed and leaving before I get up. Last time you were like this you were gambling. You're not doing that again are you? Because if you are, you may as well pack all your things and leave now. I'll contact my attorney in the morning."

"Whoa, whoa hold on Bones I'm not gambling, if you don't believe me call Gavin…"

"I believe you, Booth. What have you been doing for the last three days that has kept you up until 3AM?"

"I honestly can't tell you, Bones, it's a matter of National Security."

"Very well. When will it be over? Christine worries when she goes for long periods of time without seeing you."

"Friday we hope. I don't have to go back until 3AM tomorrow. Let me sleep until it's time to pick her up from preschool and I'll get her and we'll go to the park or something and hang out for a little while."

"Okay she'll like that. Let's go to bed." Booth nodded and headed for their bedroom.


	155. Chapter 155 Lake

"Did you enjoy your day at the lake with Gracie, Booth?" Brennan continued fixing their fish free dinner.

"Yeah, mostly. Gracie has zero interest in fishing, even if I bait the hook and throw everything back as soon as it's caught, like I do when I take Christine with me. After twenty minutes of Gracie looking like she was going to cry and throw up at the same time if I even mentioned fishing. I packed everything back up and took her to that used bookstore in town. I spent a small fortune on books for her then we went back to the lake and I fished while Gracie laid on a blanket in the grass next to me and read. We did talk some and she did try to fish before I called it a day. She caught a cattail. I think she had fun at the bookstore at least. I'm going to go back next weekend and take Christine if she wants or I'll take Gracie back and buy her more books on the way in. I'll take Max when he gets back from Science Camp."

"You're a good dad, Booth." Brennan kissed him.


	156. Chapter 156 Adventure

Brennan loved being Booth's wife and Christine's mother, but sometimes she needed a break. Today was that day, Booth had understood and had taken Christine out for the day right after breakfast returning hours later with dinner from dinner from Brennan's favorite restaurant. Now Brennan was giving almost four year old Christine a bath before she went to bed. "I had fun with daddy, mommy."

"That's great! What did you do?"

"We went to the flower store and got flowers for pops. Then we went to that place daddy goes to talk to him at."

"The cemetery?"

"Yeah. Daddy let me carry the flowers!"

"That was nice of him. Then what did you do?"

"We went to the park, I played on the slide and daddy helped me swing! Then we fed the ducks, and went on the trail. Daddy carried me. We saw a bunny and a squirrel. Then we had lunch at grandpa's. Grandpa played with me while daddy fixed stuff. Then we went back to the flower store and got your flowers. Then daddy said we had to go get dinner and go home."

"Wow, it sounds like you and daddy had quite the adventure today."

"Yeah. Daddy said we can go back to the park tomorrow. Can you come this time?"

"Yes."

"Okay." Christine yawned.

"Let's finish your bath so you can go to bed."

"K."

Ten minutes later Brennan was handing Booth a pink and purple striped pajama clad Christine.

"Goodnight angel. I love you."

"Goodnight, daddy. I love you." Booth rubbed Christine's back for a few minutes. "…And she's out. I'll go put her in bed."

"Okay. Thanks for today, Booth, I needed it."

"You're welcome, Bones."


	157. Chapter 157 Prevention

Booth leaned on the bathroom door, "Bones, do you think you could be pregnant?" Brennan glanced at him. "No, we both practice prevention…"

"Yeah, but it doesn't always work… it didn't with Parker… and we did get a little out of control that one weekend a few weeks ago…"

Brennan smiled at the memories, "I'm fine I just have a virus."

"Stay home today and rest, you've been sick most of the morning."

"Fine, but if I start feeling better I'm going to the lab…"

"Okay."

A few hours later Booth looked up from his desk as Brennan walked in the room. "Hey. Bones, are you feeling better?"

"Yes. You were right, I am pregnant."

Booth smiled and walked around the desk to hug Brennan. "That's great Bones. I'm SO happy right now. Do you feel up to celebrating now?"

"Yes, actually a strawberry milkshake would be really good right now."

Booth laughed and led Brennan out the door, "Let's go before the baby changes its mind."

"Booth that's impossible…"

A/N: let there be Gracie…


	158. Chapter 158 Ill-Mannered

Booth walked in the living room, "Hey Bones how was Gracie's class trip to the museum?"

"Terrible. The other children in our group were very Ill-mannered. None of them paid attention to anything. Half of them spent most of the trip on an electronic device. There was also a fight. The children didn't see a reason to listen to me as I tried to explain some of the exhibits. Out of the three class trips I've chaperoned to the Jeffersonian, Gracie's class has been the worst."

"That's too bad, I know how much Gracie was looking forward to spending the day with you."

"I was too. I couldn't enjoy it like I did with Christine and Max's classes. The only time the children were behaved was lunch. That is if you over looked their disgusting table manners. I told Gracie we could go back this weekend and take our time and enjoy it."

"She'll like that."

"You and the other children are welcome to come along."

"I think this time needs to be a Gracie and mom day. We'll all go in a few months. The four of us will meet you two at the diner for lunch when you're done."

"Okay, that sounds great to me, Booth."


	159. Chapter 159 Arguement

You should stay home and rest, Booth…"

I'm fine Bones. I don't have a fever anymore…"

"True, but it hasn't even been 12 hours since your fever broke, it could return-"

"I don't need to say home I'm fine Bones. Take my temperature if you don't believe me!"

Brennan sighed and headed for the medicine cabinet, "I can't believe we're having an argument about this, Booth. If I were the one that was sick you'd force me to stay home…"

"Daddy, can you stay home with me today?"

"Not today Christine, I have to go to work. If you're still sick tomorrow I'll stay home with you, okay?"

"Please?"

Brennan looked at Christine and smiled at the little girl who was also sick. "Christine, I think it would be a good idea for you and daddy to stay home and recover from your colds together. Go choose some movies to watch with daddy."

"Okay." Christine walked from her parents' bedroom.

"Bones, I'm fine."

"You have a temperature of 100.9. You're going to stay home with your daughter and watch movies until you both start feeling better. I'll be back around noon with soup for both of you. Call me if you need anything."

"Fine!" Booth started changing out of his suit back into his pajamas.


	160. Chapter 160 Morose

A/N: This goes along with Max's punishment from chapter 139, 'weapon'

"Booth, what should we do about Max's birthday on Friday? He's been showing signs of morose and I think it's because he knows he isn't getting the party we had planned. I called the indoor rock climbing place and canceled it as soon as you called and told me he was suspended."

"We can have a small party here with us and the girls. I don't think Parker will be able to come home for it. We can revisit him having the rock climbing party with his friends later if he behaves himself."

"I'll get a cake and make tacos for dinner since they're his favorite. The computer program he wanted was delivered to the lab that morning."

"That sounds good to me. I kind of feel bad about giving him the computer program when he can't use it for another month and half, but it is what it is. We can play board games or some other activity that doesn't involve electronics."

"I feel bad about it too, Booth. Max knows he really messed up I'm sure he'll be happy with his dramatically scaled down celebration. He's been so good during his punishment. Getting up so early is hard on him, but he hasn't complained about it."

"I know. He's a good kid. I know he didn't realize that he'd get in so much trouble from just taking the knife to school. In all honesty if we'd found it in his backpack or one of this sisters ratted him out I'd only would've grounded him and taken away his electronics for 2 weeks. I'm glad someone saw him put it in his locker and reported it. It makes me sick to think about someone else getting ahold of it."

"Me too, Booth."


	161. Chapter 161 Arrogant

Booth stood in the bone room doorway, his favorite anthropologist wasn't happy. He quietly walked to her and put his hands on her shoulders. Brennan jumped a little, "Booth!"

"Hey Bones, I didn't mean to scare you. What's wrong?"

"The new intern, Mr. Allen is very arrogant. He's been trying to prove he's better than me all morning. In a decade or so he might be better than me, but right now he's just a first year graduate student that is very, very close to being fired as my intern. He's missing key things due to his ego."

"Fire him then."

"I really can't. I only have three interns this time and with Miss. Jones going on maternity leave next month that only leaves Mr. Jeter and I'm afraid all of the lab duties would be too much for him to handle alone."

"Hire someone else."

"Out of all the applicants, Mr. Allen, Miss. Jones, and Mr. Jeter are the most capable."

Booth kissed Brennan's cheek, "how about we go have lunch at the diner. Then tonight let the kids spend the night with their grandpa Max so we can get very, very drunk. My day hasn't gone much better. Aubrey is out with the flu and Shaw is home with her sick kid. I got stuck with a brand new Agent who graduated the academy three days ago, near the bottom of his class…"

"Sounds good to me, Booth. I'll call dad on the way to the diner."


	162. Chapter 162 Store

"Where are you going, mommy?" Brennan leaned over the back of the couch and smiled at Gracie, who was covered up watching TV with her stuffed frog.

"I'm going to the grocery store."

"Can I come?"

"Not even ten minutes ago you told daddy and me you couldn't go to ballet today because your stomach hurt."

"It's better now. So can I come?"

Brennan put her purse down and came around to sit on the couch, "Grace, what's wrong? How come you didn't want to go to ballet?"

"Nothing. I didn't want to go to ballet because I miss you. I thought if I said I was sick you'd stay home with me. You're always at work and stuff…" Gracie got really interested in the pattern on the blanket.

Brennan tipped her chin up, "Oh Gracie, I'm sorry I'm working so much right now, I have a really big project to do for a new display at the museum. I'll be done with it in another week and then I'll be home like I was before." Brennan looked at her watch, "do you want me to take you to ballet? You've got an hour before class starts. Then we can go do something when you're done. Then we can go to the grocery store."

"Okay."

"Get your stuff while I talk to daddy."

"Okay."

While Gracie got her bag Brennan found Booth in the kitchen. "Booth Gracie faked a stomachache so I'd stay home with her because she missed me because I'm working so much. I am going to take her to ballet. Then I think I'll take her to see that new Disney movie she wants to see."

"Okay. Bones. If it makes you feel better Parker did the same to me when he was about Gracie's age. He knew Becca was busy and couldn't pick him up from school and he'd be home with the nanny for the night. If he was sick he knew I'd pick him up and take the day off. I knew as soon as we got in the SUV he was faking it, but I didn't say anything and fudged it with Becca so he could spend the weekend with me. She hated taking care of sickness. This was when she kept him for long periods of time without letting me see him."

Brennan smiled, "I still hate that she used do that to you. Good for Parker…" Booth laughed.


	163. Chapter 163 Game

Today was Christine's junior girl's hockey championship game and Booth was missing it. He was in Utah escorting a suspect to D.C. Christine was sad that her dad was missing a game, he'd never missed one of her games or one of Gracie's recitals or Max's swim meets. Brennan felt bad for Booth she knew how important it was to him to be there. She was videotaping the game for Booth to watch with Christine when he did get home. The squints, Parker Max, and Gracie were there to cheer Christine on. Christine's team was leading by 3 with 5 minutes to go when Brennan felt hands on her shoulders. She turned her head to see Booth standing behind her, "Booth, what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see Christine's game." Booth looked at the ice as he talked to Brennan

"How did you get here?"

"I called Caroline and she called in some favors and got me on the next flight. By the way you owe her a pumpkin pie and some of those pecan bars you make."

"I'll make them tonight and take them to her in the morning."

The game ended and Booth met Christine as she walked off the ice like he always did. "Daddy, you're here did you see my goal?"

"No I just got here, but what I saw was great. Mommy taped your game. We can watch it when we get home. Go change so we can go to the diner."

"Mommy said we could go to the pizza place."

"Pizza it is then. Hurry up and change I'm hungry."

"Okay."


	164. Chapter 164 Extreme

Booth tossed the legal pad on the counter, "Bones, don't you think 12 pages of instructions for Parker to watch the kids for the weekend is a little extreme?"

"No, he's never watched them overnight before."

"Bones, he's 22 years old and in college he can handle it. It's only two days give or take. He's watched them for us since he was 17."

"I know…"

"Do you want to call Angela and ask her to watch them?"

"No, the kids are looking forward to spending the whole weekend with Parker. I can't disappoint them."

"Everything will be fine. We can call and Skype to check in. IF they need us we'll only be 3 hours away. I'll use the siren if I need to."

Brennan smiled a little, "I know he can handle it and I trust him completely with the kids, I always have. It's just sometimes I still see him as the 9 year old who wanted you to get a girlfriend so he could get a pool and not the 22 year old that he is."

"Me too. You know he loved that you gave us the key. He asked me every weekend if we could go swimming with you. Sometimes his nagging about it was the only reason Rebecca let me see him."

"I was happy that you both came over almost every weekend. I loved seeing the both of you all the time." Booth walked behind Brennan and kissed her cheek. "We loved seeing you too, Bones."

A few hours later Booth smiled at Brennan's new instructions it was only a half sheet of paper that contained the numbers for the kids' pediatrician and Angela's. With a note that said, 'I love you, have fun. I left money for meals on the bookcase in my office. I also made you a pan of macaroni and cheese.'


	165. Chapter 165 Natural

BIt was a few days before Max's due date and Christine was with grandpa while Brennan and Booth got a few last minute things done. Booth found Brennan on the couch folding baby clothes and blankets. "Bones, we have a problem…"

"What's wrong, Booth?"

"I was in Christine's room finishing up hanging the glow in the dark solar system on the celling and as I was coming off the ladder I noticed Bubbles floating in his bowl…"

"Are you sure he's dead?"

'Yeah. He was fine when Christine left, I had to help her get her hat off the shelf and he was swimming around then. I'm gonna run to the pet shop and get another one… She'll never know…"

"No. Death is a natural part of life, she understands. Though I was hoping Bubbles would live a bit longer than Goldie did."

"I think Bubbles died of natural causes and not that fungus that Goldie had."

"That's good."

"Yeah. I feel so bad for Christine though, she's been through so much the last 5 years. Pelant, the house getting blown to bits, me going to jail and Sweets death."

"I know me too. All those things are in the past now. I think us both taking a three month leave when Max is born will do everyone some good."

"Yeah."

A few hour later Brennan sat next to Christine, Booth sat on the coffee table. "Christine, this morning I was hanging up the rest of the solar system and I noticed that Bubbles was floating in his bowl…I'm sorry baby girl, bubbles is dead…"

"Mommy?"

"Sweetheart, I am sorry, but daddy's right, bubbles is dead. I wrapped him up like I did with Goldie and found a box for you to decorate. You and daddy can bury him under the tree next to Goldie in the morning." Brennan pulled Christine into her lap and let her cry, Booth moved to the couch and put his arms around Brennan.


	166. Chapter 166 Break

Booth bolted up from his nap on the couch when he heard a scream coming from Gracie's bedroom. He quickly walked to her room, he found Gracie standing in her room with tears running down her face holding her doll's body in one hand and its legs in the other. "Gracie, what happened?"

"Max broke my doll!"

"I didn't mean to break it. I picked it up and its legs fell off…"

"Nuh-uh you grabbed it from me and when I tried to grab it back you pulled on it and the legs broke."

"Nuh-uh."

"Enough! Max go to your room and wait for me, we need to talk. Gracie, let's go find mommy, maybe she knows a way to fix your doll."

"Okay." Booth picked up Gracie and smiled slightly as she used the shoulder of his t shirt to dry her face and wipe her nose. Booth found Brennan in her office engrossed in writing an outline for her new book. "Bones?"

"What do you want, Booth?"

"Gracie's doll has suffered limb detachment at the synovial joint…"

Brennan looked away from her computer, "what?"

"Max broke the legs off my doll, mommy!"

"And I was wondering if you could look at it and see if it can be fixed while I talk to Max."

Brennan smiled a little and reached to take Gracie and the parts of her doll from Booth. "Sure. Let's see what we can do to fix your doll."

Booth watched Brennan settle Gracie in her lap before going to Max's room. "Max why'd you pull the legs off Gracie's doll?"

"Because she' been asking me all day to play dolls with her and I wanted to play trucks. When I told her I'd play with her I took that doll and she wanted me to take another one… I didn't think the legs would fall off…"

"Next time don't pull on her dolls. No TV for the weekend. If mom can't fix the doll you're using the gift cards to the toy store you got for your birthday to get Gracie another doll. Even if mom can fix it you're using at least half the money to get her some accessories."

"But-"

"But nothing…"

Booth left Max in his room and went to Brennan's office, 'What's the verdict, Bones?"

"I can't fix it, Booth. The little plastic tabs that hold the legs on the body broke off… maybe I could make splints or something to hold them together…."

"No for his punishment Max is going to use his birthday gift cards for the toy store to buy Gracie a new doll. He's also not allowed TV privileges this weekend. I'm going to change my shirt then I'll take him to get it."

"Sounds good to me, Booth. Gracie and I are going to see if Christine wants to make cookies with us."

"Have fun. Gracie Belle, Max and I will be back with your new doll in a little while, okay?"

"Okay."


	167. Chapter 167 Parch(ed)

"Bones! How can you stand to be out here? it's like I'm in an oven!"

Brennan looked up from the remains she was excavating. "Booth! What are you doing here? Your flight isn't supposed to be here until tomorrow night…"

"Hi Bones, it's nice to see you too!"

Brennan stood up and started walking to Booth, "Hi Booth I'm happy to see you though I'm confused as to why you're here early." Brennan kissed Booth, "I'd hug you if I wasn't so dirty…"

Booth laughed. "I found an earlier flight and wanted to surprise you. The last week without you has been hell Bones. The kids are fighting like cats and dogs over the smallest things. Parker's moping around because he and Addison got in a fight and she said they need 'space'"

"Aw hopefully they'll work it out."

"I think they will. Seriously Bones everything is dry and dead here…"

"The area is parched but in a few months it will be flooded with rain, which is why we need to get these remains excavated and moved quickly. I can't take today or tomorrow off to spend with you if we want a whole week off for our second honeymoon."

"That's fine, Bones, I'll just hang out here maybe do a little sightseeing…"

"If you'd like you can help load everything onto the trucks for transport to different labs around the country. The bulk of the remains and artifacts are going to the Jeffersonian."

"I'll help because that way I get to spend time with you."

Brennan smiled, "Thanks Booth."


	168. Chapter 168 Mobile

Booth and Brennan were having lunch at the diner when both of their phones beeped with a text.

"it's a video from your dad, Bones."

"So is mine." They both played the video and saw that it was a video of Max crawling towards Christine who was holding his favorite musical bear.

"Ha look at that Max is crawling finally. I guess it's time to put up the baby gates and move things up to higher shelves."

"Yeah…" Booth looked up and saw tears in Brennan's eyes. "Bones, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm happy that Max is mobile, but before we know it he'll be walking, then he'll be in school then he'll graduate and go to college and that makes me sad!"

Booth hid a chuckle in his napkin, "Bones we have a lot of time before most of that happens."

"I know, it's just that he and Christine are growing up so fast as irrational as it sounds I want them to stay little forever…"

Booth smiled, "all parents want their kids to stay little, Bones, it's normal. Why don't you take a half day tomorrow and spend it with them, they'd love it."

"As would I."


	169. Chapter 169 Sick

BParker made his way to the kitchen and dropped in to a chair at the table, Brennan looked up from the lunches she was making. "Parker, are you feeling all right?"

"No, my whole body hurts."

"Go back to bed, I'll come check on you in a while."

"Okay." He got up and shuffled back to his room. A few minutes later Booth came into the kitchen, "Bones, why is Parker going back to his room? He is going to take the kids to school and pick them up for me so I can go to that stupid all day budget meeting."

"Someone else will pick them up Booth, Parker has the flu. I'll take them to school then I'm going to come back here and stay home with him."

"I can take them if they hurry up and eat breakfast in the car."

"I'll make bagels and put their milk in travel mugs. I'm sure Angela will pick them all up, I'll call her later and ask."

"I'll go hurry everybody up."

Thirty minutes later everyone was gone and Brennan was in Parker's room. "Bones, shouldn't you be gone with dad?"

"Yes, but I'm staying home with you today."

"Why?"

"Because I always stay home with your brother and sister when they're sick. I even stay home with your dad sometimes. Your dad always stays home with Gracie though."

"But I'm not your kid…"

"Parker, you are my kid, not biologically, but in every other way that matters you're my kid. You've been a part of my life since you were four."

"Yeah…"

"Sit up so you can eat your toast and drink your tea. Take the medicine too, it'll help." Parker sat up and took a slice of toast from the plate.

"This isn't how I wanted to spend my first college Christmas break."

"I know, but Christmas is two and a half weeks away. You should be over the flu by then." Brennan kissed Parker's forehead and turned to leave the room.

"Bones?"

Brennan turned around, "Yes?"

"Thanks for staying home with me."

"You're welcome, Parker. I'll be back to check on you in little while. If you need something before then call or text me. Eat your breakfast, take the medication and go to sleep, you'll feel better."

"Okay."


	170. Chapter 170 Slice

Booth and Brennan packed up the three youngest Booths and headed at Atlantic City to spend a long weekend with Marianne and Reggie. Knowing banning junk food would be impossible and highly frowned upon Brennan decided to let everyone indulge a little bit. After spending most of the day at the beach and on the boardwalk, they were waiting on Booth to return with their individual pizza slices.

"Look out, food's here. Who ordered the peperoni?" Max raised his hand.

"Sausage and mushroom?" That went to Christine.

Booth handed Gracie her plain cheese slice.

"Booth these slices are the equivalent of two or more normal slices of pizza. None of the kids will be able to finish them…"

"They only sell pizza by the extra large slice. It's been a while since lunch and they ran around all day, I think they'll be able to finish them. What they don't eat I'll finish or we'll take it with us. Here's your garden veggie along with my meet special with salami, sausage, ham, bacon, cheese and onions."

Brennan shook her head and took the pizza slices as Booth gave Marianne and Reggie their Hawaiian slices.

An hour later everyone had ate all their pizza and was heading back to the townhouse.


	171. Chapter 171 Rant

"Can I go to the mall on Saturday with Amber, dad?"

"Sure. I can take you. Gracie doesn't have ballet this week."

"We were thinking that you drive us there and drop us off-"

"No! Do you know how many-"

"Here we go, another rant on how many kids get kidnapped daily and are never found or end up in mom's lab! I know all that dad…"

"Watch your mouth, young lady…"

"…Christine, go to your room. I need to talk to your father…"

"But-"

"Go, now, please."

"Fine!" Once Christine had loudly slammed her bedroom door, Brennan walked over to Booth. "Booth, let her go with Amber. I know it scares you to let her go out on her own, but she's sixteen, we can't keep her or the other children with us forever. How about a compromise? You take them and sit in the bookstore while they shop and after a few hours meet them at the food court for lunch. Christine and Amber are responsible they both have cellphones to call you if they need you."

"I could go for that. I need to get your new book anyway…"

"My publisher and I thank you. Now go make our daughter happy."

Four days later Booth sat in the corner of the bookstore in an overstuffed chair with Brenan's new book and a five dollar cup of coffee while Christine and Amber tried on and bought clothes that in his opinion they didn't need.


	172. Chapter 172 Pissed

"Hey, Cam, where's Bones? I got a S.O.S text from Aubrey saying that Bones was royally pissed off and he didn't know what to do. He also made it abundantly clear that he isn't the reason she's pissed off…"

Cam smiled, "Brennan is in the Bone Room and she is highly pissed off. I heard her muttering something about the deplorable education requirements in the United States and FBI incompetence when I walked by a few minutes ago."

"Oh boy thanks, Cam."

"You're welcome, Seeley. If you're not back in an hour I'll send Wendell to find you."

"Very funny, Camille." Booth squared his shoulders and straightened his tie as he walked to the Bone Room. He stood just inside the doorway and watched Brennan, something was wrong she was frustrated and the boxes of evidence from their new case were dumped out on top of the table.

"Bones, what's wrong?"

Brennan whirled around, "what's wrong is the techs assigned to our case are incompetent! They weren't the team we usually have, the ones I've trained over the years…"

"What happened?"

"They labeled all the evidence wrong plus a large portion of it might have been compromised…"

Booth groaned and waked to Brennan, "Can you salvage anything?"

"Maybe, but it's going to take a lot of time and resources. I'm need to call in at least two more interns. Doctors Edison and Vaziri would be the best if I can get them if not Ms. Wick and Ms. Warren will work the best with Mr. Bray's skills. Can you call Caroline? We might need help too. Everyone is going to have to work late…"

Booth kissed Brennan's cheek, "Get everybody here that you need I'm going to call Caroline. Then I'm going to go make sure you always have the set of techs we've always had at every scene. I'll tell Cam that everyone is going to work late. Michael Vincent can hang with me and the kids tonight. Do you want Aubrey here?"

"No, there isn't a need for him to be here until we get things straightened out. Besides he unintentionally distracts Ms. Warren."

"Okay call him when you need him. I'll be back later with lunch."

"Okay." Booth kissed Brennan's cheek again and left. He passed Cam on the way out "I'm going to take care of some FBI incompetence and call Caroline. Everybody is going to have to work late tonight and Bones needs Clark and Airstoo if she can get them. If not she's calling Daisy and Jessica. Tell Ange I'll watch Michael Vincent tonight."

'Oh okay, but why?"

"FBI techs labeled all the evidence wrong and a large portion of it might be compromised."

"Oh God."

"Yeah. I'll bring Chinese for everybody for lunch because I don't think Bones is going to let anyone leave until everything is sorted out. "

"Thanks Seeley."

"You're welcome. Camille."


	173. Chapter 173 Faded

It was Booth and Brennan's first full day of retirement and after sleeping in a little and a leisurely breakfast Brennan was looking through Booth's box of office knickknacks most of the things she knew about after seeing them at least once a day for 30 years. At the bottom of the box was a small spiral notebook Brennan pulled it out and opened it. The writing was faded, but she could make some of it out. Brennan looked up when she heard Booth come in the kitchen.

"Booth why did you have a notebook with the scientific names of bones and their more common names in your desk?"

Booth walked over to Brennan and took the notebook, "I carried this thing in my jacked for the first 3 years we worked together. Every time you or anyone used some scientific or medical term I never heard I'd write it down and what it meant. I'd quiz myself when we had downtime."

"Why did you do that, Booth?"

"So I wouldn't have to keep asking you what you were talking about. So you wouldn't realize how dumb I am…"

"Booth, I have never thought you were dumb. You're not as smart as me, yes, very few people are… But you are not dumb, you're very intelligent in other areas."

"Thanks, Bones."

"You're welcome, Booth. When did you stop carrying the notebook?"

"Right before that whole mess with Zach and Gorgonzola…"

"Gormogon, Booth…"

"Yeah. I felt confident that I knew enough to B.S. my way through what I didn't. Plus I felt pretty sure that you weren't gonna refuse to work with me by then."

"I love you, Booth."

"I love you too, Bones. Let's go call Parker and see if he and Addi will let us have Matthew for the night."

"Okay."


	174. Chapter 174 Needle

"Booth, Gracie has an appointment to get her next set of vaccinations on Monday. Can you take her? If it's like last time she isn't going to feel well and she'll want only you for the rest of the day."

"How about we both take her? You can go back with her and when it's over I'll take her home and cuddle all day."

Brennan smiled, "Booth, are you that afraid of needles?"

"I'm not afraid of needles. I just can't watch the nurse stick a needle in her little leg and listen to her scream."

"I don't like that part either. I have an early morning conference call with a professor in Norway about some remains they found and need my help identifying without sending them to me. I can reschedule, but it will be difficult."

"I'll take her, but next time you can go with her for the shots and I'll stay home with her afterwards."

"Deal."

Monday Booth took Gracie to the doctor while Brennan took Christine to before school care and Max to daycare then went to the lab for her conference call. Just as the conference call ended, Brennan got a text from Booth it was a picture of Gracie laying on him asleep, with the message:

 _'She was a champ, not a lot of tears. A little grumpy so we're back in our pjs and I gave her some meds now she's asleep. Hopefully after a long nap she'll feel better. I love you.'_


	175. Chapter 175 Frozen

A/N: This one is pre Christine …

Brennan opened Booth's freezer to get ice for her glass of water, "Booth, why is your freezer packed with frozen dinners?"

Booth looked up from the Thai food he was putting on his plate, "I'm a single guy, Bones. I don't cook much, especially when we work really late."

"I thought you did, Parker is always talking about the dinners you let him help you with."

Booth smiled, "I cook when I have Parker. Now that we're living together I'll start cooking more. I'll have to learn new things that don't use meat or dairy products though."

"I have cookbooks I can lend you."

"Thanks, Bones. Now eat up before it gets cold. I'll make you veggie stir fry tomorrow. It's actually one of Parker's favorite things if it put shrimp in it. I'll cook the shrimp separate tomorrow though."

"Thanks, Booth. I can't wait."


	176. Chapter 176 Bed

It was storming and Booth was half awake listening to the rain and waiting to see which of his three youngest children would be the first to climb into bed between him and Brennan. After a loud clap of thunder, Gracie ran into the room and over to Booth's side of the bed. "Daddy?"

"It's okay Gracie. It's just a storm, nothing to be afraid of. Come on let's get you in bed next to Mommy." Booth waited for Gracie to climb in bed then he helped her lay down between him and Brennan. Just as Booth got Gracie covered up and settled Max was on Brennan's side of the bed, she quietly made room for him next to her and got him to sleep. A few minutes later a bright lightning flash sent Christine to her parent's room, Booth got up and let Christine take his spot next to Gracie and turned to go sleep in her bed. "Daddy, where are you going?"

"To your room to sleep."

"No, stay here, please…"

"Christine, there's no more room in the bed…"

"But…"

"How about I go get the sleeping bag and put it next to the bed for you to sleep in?"

"Okay."

A half hour later the kids were settled down and sleeping, Booth turned his head to look at Brennan. "You've been saying we need a new bed, we're getting a king size so everybody fits and has room."

"I agree. Goodnight."

"Night, Bones."


	177. Chapter 177 Travel

Brennan stood in the airport departure area saying goodbye to Booth and the kids. "Before we started working together and for some time after I didn't mind having to travel on occasion, but since having Christine I find that I don't like to travel, especially without you and the children."

"Aw, Bones, we don't like it when you're gone either, but we'll be fine. It's only four days. We'll skype you tonight and every night before they all go to bed."

"I know everyone will be fine and I'll be looking forward to your skype call." Booth gave Brennan a hug and kissed her again. "All right everybody give mommy another hug before she gets on the plane." Brennan took her time hugging Christine, Max, and Gracie. As she was walking away Brennan heard Max and Gracie start to cry, she turned and looked back. "Bones, go we're fine." Booth turned his attention to the two crying toddlers. "Guys, mommy will be back in a few days. What do you say we get ice cream on the way home then we'll go outside and play? Then tonight we'll call mommy and tell her goodnight before you go to sleep, okay?"

"K."

"K."

Booth kissed both their foreheads and made sure Christine was beside him before he pushed the stroller out of the airport.


	178. Chapter 178 News

Angela hurried into Brennan's office, "Sweetie, have you seen the news?"

"No, I've been in limbo since I got back from lunch with Booth."

"Bren, there was a bomb threat at the FBI… They're on lockdown and all streets surrounding the building are closed." Angela moved to the TV in the corner of Brennan's office and turned it on. Brennan watched the TV for a few minutes then picked up her phone and dialed Booth. "It went to voicemail…"

"Sweetie, he's probably very busy right now. He's fine."

"Yes. Can you pick up the children when you get Michael Vincent? Booth drove me here today. I'll take a cab home. I need to get ahold of Parker…"

"Of course Bren, just call the school and let them know I'm picking them up." Brennan nodded and made the call. A little later Gracie was sitting on a stool watching Parker make waffles. Mommy said we could make pizza tonight."  
"I know. Since she and daddy are busy tonight I'm making everybody chocolate chip waffles. You get to make pizza tomorrow night with mommy."

"Okay." Gracie took the plate that Parker handed her and started eating. Parker was starting to clean up the waffle maker when Booth came in through the garage. 'Hey, Bub."

"Hey dad Bones is in your room watching the News out of sight of little people. She's pissed at you for not calling or answering your phone."

"I know. I left my phone on my desk while I got coffee and they told us to leave everything in place and evacuate. After that it was chaos. They disabled all cell signals in case it was remote detonated…. They finally cleared the parking building so we could leave. my phone is still on my desk. Leave everything I'll make more for the two of us. Can you…"

"Yep, that's why I stayed. I'm coming back for homemade pizza tomorrow night."

"Okay thanks."

Booth went to the bedroom and sat down on the bed next to Brennan. "Bones-"

"Booth, I was so worried when you didn't call or answer your phone."

"I know, I'm so sorry. I left my phone on my desk while I got coffee and they told us to leave everything in place and evacuate. After that it was chaos. They disabled all cell signals in case it was remote detonated…. They finally cleared the parking building so we could leave. My phone is still on my desk."

"Was there a bomb?"

"Yes, somewhere on the fourth floor. I'm fine, everybody is fine."

"But…"

"But nothing. Parker's keeping the kids entertained. Let's go have some waffles."

"Okay. Do you think Parker would spend the night?"

"Probably, he already told me he's coming back for homemade pizza tomorrow night."

"I'll go ask while you make the waffles."

"Okay. I love you, Bones."

"I love you too, Booth." They kissed and Booth led Brennan from the bedroom.


	179. Chapter 179 Music

Booth walked into the house and sighed, Brennan was listening to the weird tribal music she liked so much. He stopped just beyond the doorway and smiled, Brennan was dancing around the living room with a laughing eight month old Max in her arms. Booth quietly took out his phone and recorded the scene in front of him. At the songs end Brennan noticed Booth standing there. "Hi, Booth."

"Hey, Bones. Why the dance party?" Brennan smiled and walked to Booth and handed him Max. "Max has been a little fussy tonight, it made him happy. I think he just needed a little extra mommy time today."

"Aw, Buddy, did you just need a dance with mommy to make you feel better? Where is Christine?"

"Parker called and asked if she wanted to go skating. I gave him money to take her out after they get done. I know he doesn't mind spending his own money on her, but this way it's a treat for everybody."

"I do the same, Bones. Why don't I see if Max will go down early while you order Thai and we can relax on the couch? You know Christine will be out cold when Parker brings her home."

"Good idea, Booth. That's one of the reasons I let Christine go; it's Friday and she should sleep in tomorrow."

"Sneaky." Brennan laughed and kissed the top of Max's head, "good night sweetheart. I love you."


	180. Chapter 180 Experiment

Today marked 20 years since Sweets' death and like they'd done every year since Booth and Brennan took Christine out for pizza and to reminisce.

"Remember when he did that experiment on us, Bones?"

"Yes, very vividly." Booth took Brennan's hand under the table.

"What did he do? Condition dad to eat tofu and mom cooked fruit?"

"No something much worse. A very long story short. We had a case and one of the suspects developed a fascination with your dad, we didn't know how bad it was at the time. When we closed the case we went to the bar where the victim actively participated in open mike night to celebrate and have fun. Anyway…" Brennan looked at Booth, he picked the story. "The suspect followed us to the bar and tried to shoot your mom so she could have me. I jumped in front of your mom and took the bullet….another few inches and I wouldn't be sitting here telling you the story…The FBI had been working on a plan to arrest a suspect form a case I had years before your mom and I were partners, the suspect went underground and told the FBI the only way they'd see him again was at my funeral… The FBI decided to use my injury to draw the guy out from under his rock. I gave them my list of people I wanted told I wasn't dead before my 'death' hit the media. Parker, your mom, pops, and your uncle Jarred where who I put on there. The FBI gave Sweets the list to notify everyone, he told everybody but your mom-"

"Why didn't he tell mom? That's just mean…"

"Sweets didn't tell me because he thought he knew me so well that he knew I could handle your dad's 'death' and the truth… only he was wrong, I couldn't handle it. I loved your dad before I knew I loved him, he was more than just my partner, he was and still is my best friend. I didn't want to go to the funeral because I didn't want to admit to myself that your dad was gone. Angela made me go of course… When I saw your dad take down the suspect at his funeral I was confused and hurt-"

"Bones…"

"I was mad at you and everyone else for letting me think that you were dead. After Sweets told me what he did I understood that the fewer people who knew the truth the safer you'd be. I just wished I was one of the few that new the truth. I was mad at Sweets, but not really for not telling me. I was mad at him because he was right; your 'death' made me face and feel things I never thought I would …"

"I love you, Bones. Not a day goes by that I don't wish I could take those two weeks back and make sure you knew I was hurt but alive."

"I know. I love you too, Booth."

"Let's get out of here and get some ice cream then go home and watch Freaks and Geeks, since it was one of Sweets' favorite T.V. shows…"

"Sounds good to me, Booth."


	181. Chapter 181 Entrapment

"Booth are you ready yet? We need to leave in ten minutes." Booth came down the hall buttoning his sleeves.

"I'm ready, Bones. I wish you'd tell me where we're going."

"I did tell you, Booth. We're going out to dinner without the children."

"Yeah, but usually when we do that I can get away with a button down shirt and slacks. You made me put on a suit!"

"You wear a suit to work every day, Booth…"

"Yeah, but this isn't work…"

"The place that we're going to is a fancy. Plus I like it when you get dressed up…"

"Really?"

"Yes… Let's go "Booth nodded and followed Brennan outside. Brennan went to her car, "I'm driving, Booth."

"First you make me wear a suit to a non-work thing then you won't let me drive to wherever we're going!"

"Booth, I promise you'll like it, the sooner we go the sooner you can come home and get out of your suit..."

"Fine!" Booth got in Brennan's car, Forty minutes later she pulled up to a downtown hotel.

"Bones, this is the hotel that your publisher's annual dinner is at… This is entrapment! I hate these dinners…"

"You haven't been to one since Gracie was two and got an ear infection…"

"So?"

"She's 8 now. We'll have dinner and stay for no more than 3 hours. I got us a room upstairs for the whole weekend…"

"That sounds really good, Bones. What about the kids? I don't like the idea of Christine watching Max and Gracie overnight for the weekend…"

"She's watching them tonight then after Parker drops Adison off after their date he's spending the weekend at our house with the kids. He's taking them to the waterpark tomorrow…"

"Good that means I don't have to go…They better have something good to eat at this thing!"

"I ordered you a steak with a baked potato and broccoli when I R.S.V.P-ed months ago…"

"Thanks, Bones!" Booth leaned over and kissed Brennan's cheek.

"You're welcome, Booth."

Booth and Brennan just started their alone time when Brennan's phone beeped with a text. She reached to get it off the nightstand.

"Ignore it, Bones. We're spending time with each other without any disturbances this weekend…"

"It could be about the children, Booth…"

"Get it, but if it's work stuff you're ignoring it…"

Brennan picked up her phone and read the text. Booth noticed her smile. "What is it, Bones?" Brennan held her phone Where Booth could see the picture Parker had sent, Christine, Max, and Gracie were all asleep in Booth and Brennan's king size bed. Under the picture he wrote, "This is what I found when I got here a few minutes ago, it looks like they were watching a movie. Gonna leave everybody here. Enjoy your weekend…"

"Parker's there, the kids are asleep. Everything is good. Turn your phone off and let's enjoy our weekend…"


	182. Chapter 182 Lunatic

"Booth carefully stepped over the piles of things that littered his and Brennan's normally spotless bedroom floor and sat next to Brennan on the bed.

"You must think I'm a lunatic for literally tearing apart the house…"

"I don't think you're a lunatic, Bones. I know how much your mother's earrings mean to you. I'll help you look, when did you wear them last?"

"Friday. I forgot to take them out before we went to bed. I woke up a few hours later and realized I still had them in so I took them out and put them on the nightstand. Then yesterday we woke up late and had to rush out of here to get Parker from the airport that I didn't even think about them until now. I went to get them to put in my jewelry box and they aren't there."

"Okay. I'm going to get a flashlight and look down the furnace vents. Then I'll help you move the dresser."

"Okay."

Booth was about to leave the room when Gracie toddled around piles and over to Brennan and thrust something at her. Brennan took the object and gasp, "Gracie, can you show mommy where you got this?"

"Uh-huh-"Brennan stood up and let herself be drug past Booth and out of the bedroom and down to the laundry room. Gracie pointed to the laundry basket of sheets, "in there, mommy." Brennan knelt down and carefully pulled the sheets out, she found her other earring in the bottom of the basket.

Brennan stood up to see Booth standing beside her, "they somehow got in the laundry with the sheets I took off our bed this morning. I guess I must have knocked them off the nightstand and didn't notice it."

"Yeah, that's probably what happened. The important thing is Gracie found one and brought it to you instead of playing with it."

"Yes, I think she needs a reward." Brennan picked up the 2 year old up and carried her to the kitchen and handed her a cookie, "this is a reward for helping me find my earrings. Don't tell your brothers or sister that I gave you a cookie before lunch…"

"Okay, mommy." Gracie bit into the cookie.


	183. Chapter 183 Trapped

"Where is Christine? We need to get on the road if we want to spend time on the beach today."

"I'll go hurry her up."

"No, Bones, you go make sure we have everything we need for the next seven to eight hours in the car with three kids. I'll go hurry her up."

"Okay." Brennan began looking around for things that they may have forgotten. Booth headed down the hall and immediately heard tapping coming from the bathroom he walked to the door. "Christine?"

"Daddy?"

"Yeah. Are you okay?"

"No, I'm trapped in here, the door is stuck!" Booth tried the door and found it was really stuck shut.

"Christine, I'm going to tell mom what the problem is and get some tools to get the door unstuck with. I'll be right back."

"Okay, hurry up, I'm scared…"

"I will. You're okay, I'll have you out of there in a few minutes."

"Okay."

Booth returned with his toolbox in a few minutes. "Christine, I want you to move as far away from the door as you can get."

"Should I go stand by the bathtub?"

"Yes, that's perfect." Booth heard Christine move to the bathtub, "I'm over here daddy."

"Okay. Stay there until I get the door open."

"Okay." Five minutes later the bathroom door was off its hinges and leaning against the wall. Christine was in Booth's arms, "Daddy, can we still go to the beach?"

"Yeah, let's go."

Ten minutes later the Booth family was on their way to Myrtle Beach.


	184. Chapter 184 Quake

Since Booth no longer worked for the FBI and was head of daytime security at the Jeffersonian he used his vacation days to occasionally accompany Brennan on digs or other things he thought extra protection could be used. Today he found himself sleeping on cot in a tent in some country he'd never heard of until he boarded their flight. Booth was brought out of a sound sleep by the sound of things falling off the makeshift nightstand between his and Brennan's cots.

"Bones, what the hell is going on?"

"I believe we were just struck by an Earthquake."

"Really? Are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm fine."

"That's good. That was a first I don't want to repeat…"

"You've never been through an earthquake, Booth?"

"No. Have you?"

"Yes, a few times, this was one of the smaller ones I've experienced."

"You've never been hurt because of one have you?"

"No. We should go see if anything was seriously damaged and assist in recovery if needed. I think the dig will be suspended, but I doubt we'll be able to leave early. If things are badly damaged we might need to stay longer. We need to tell the children before they see it on the news and get worried." Brennan quickly dressed.

"You go check the bones and I'll see if I can get a hold of Angela or Hodgins. After that I'll come meet you in the tent or somewhere."

"Okay. Be sure to call Parker…"

"I will. Be careful."

"I will." Brennan kissed Booth and left the tent.


	185. Chapter 185 Dirt

Brennan shook her head and smiled at three year old Max, "what are you doing, Buddy?"

"Playin'." Max rolled his dump truck across the ground.

"I see. Why aren't you playing in the sandbox daddy just put together for you?"

"The dirt is funer, mommy."

"Oh."

"Yeah, Bones, dirt is more fun than sand. Don't worry I'll clean him up before he goes inside."

"Good. The whole point of getting a sandbox was to keep him from playing in the dirt."

"I'll tackle that tomorrow. Let him have one more day to play in the dirt."

"Fine. I'm going inside, Gracie should be up from her nap soon." Brennan kissed the top of Max's head and went inside.


	186. Chapter 186 Doctor

Gracie was laying in the floor of Brennan's home office coloring while Booth took Christine and Max to the movies.

"Mommy?"

"Hum?" Brennan didn't look away from the chapter she was writing.

"Are you a doctor?"

"Yes."

"Then how come you don't give people shots and stuff?"

Brennan smiled, "I'm not that kind of doctor, Gracie. I'm an academic doctor. I can teach people all the things I knew about bones so they can become academic doctors too." Brennan saved her chapter and turned to Gracie.

"You go to school all the time?"

"Sometimes, but mostly I teach people in the lab."

"Oh. What do you do?"

"Well when someone gets hurt and sometimes when they get sick it changes how their bones are. I can look at the bones and figure out how they got hurt or what made them sick…"

"Do you teach daddy bones? He goes to the lab a lot."

"Yes, when we work together."

"I thought daddy was the police…"

"He is. Sometimes when people die no one knows who they are or how they died. When that happens, it's my job to look at their bones and figure out how they die and who they are. Daddy helps me do that." Gracie got up from the floor and climbed into Brennan's lap.

"How?"

"He finds whatever hurt the person or made them sick so it doesn't happen to anyone else."

"That's good…can I be a doctor like you when I grow up?"

"Yes, or you can be anything you want to be."

"Okay. Can we go outside?"

"Sure."

A/N: in my head Gracie is 4 or 5 when she has this conversation with Brennan, that's why the answers are so simple…


	187. Chapter 187 Blood

Brennan was in the kitchen working on dinner while Gracie told her about her day at preschool. Brennan was cutting a head of broccoli in chunks when she cut her finger with the knife, before she could do anything Gracie saw the blood and started crying. "I'm okay, Gracie…" Booth heard Gracie crying and came into the kitchen. "What's wrong, Gracie?"

"Mommy is bleeding!" Booth quickly walked over to the sink where Brennan stood with paper towels wrapped around her finger. "I'm fine, Booth. I don't need stiches."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I just nicked it." Booth nodded and after another minute he pulled the paper towel away from Brennan's finger seeing that the bleeding had stopped he turned to Gracie, "Gracie, climb up on your stepstool for a minute. " Gracie did and leaned over the sink, "See? Mommy's finger is okay, all she needs is a band aid."

"You're not gonna die?"

Brennan put her other arm around Gracie, "No sweetheart."

"Okay." Gracie watched Booth carefully bandage Brennan's finger.

"Bones, go relax, I'll finish up dinner."

"Booth, I told you I'm fine. I can do it."

"I know you're fine, but Gracie needs mom time right now…"

Brennan nodded and picked up Gracie, heading to the living room.


	188. Chapter 188 Caress

Booth stood in the doorway of the sun porch and watched Brennan. After a few minutes he went over to her, Brennan leaned into him, "I can't believe dad is gone, Booth. He called me yesterday to ask if he could take the kids for the day after he got back from Russ and Amy's. He didn't say he didn't feel well, just that he couldn't wait to get home because the hide-a-bed at Russ' isn't comfortable…"

Booth felt Brennan's tears hit his shirt, he gently caressed her shoulder for a few seconds until the tears started coming faster and he pulled her into a tight hug, rocking her a little. "I know Bones, I can't believe he's gone either. I wish there was something I could say or do to make it easier for you, but their isn't. I love you." Booth kissed Brennan's head and let her cry. After Brennan's tears stopped she pulled back and looked around. "Where are the children, Booth?"

"Angela took them for the night, she thought you needed to be with just me tonight."

"I would like them here with us, Booth."

"Okay I'll call her and ask her to bring them home."

"Thank you." Booth nodded and made the call, he hung up and looked at Brennan. "Angela will bring them home as soon as they're done eating dinner. They took everybody out for pizza and they just brought it to the table."

"Okay."

"I'm going to get something to eat. Do you want anything?"

"Tea…and some plain toast…"

"Okay, I'll be right back…I love you, Bones."

"I love you too, Booth."


	189. Chapter 189 Puncture

The mighty hut was mostly complete and Booth and Brennan were spending the night at the house. None of the furniture was in place. Booth and Brennan were making do with Booth's camping equipment. They hadn't been asleep that long when a slow hissing sound woke them.

"What's that noise, Booth?"

"The air mattress has a puncture in it somewhere and is leaking air. Come on, let me help you up and we'll go to my place…"

"I wanted to stay here tonight…"

"I know so did I. I'll go to the store in the morning and get a new mattress and we'll stay here tomorrow night."

"Couldn't you go now?"

"Bones, it's almost midnight… yeah the department store is open 24 hours…"

Brennan smiled, "Thank you, Booth."

"You're welcome, Bones. Do you want anything else?"

"Some cookies…"

"Okay, what kind?"

"Lemon wafers and the chocolate kind, too."

"Okay. Let's get you up and into a chair so you'll be a little more comfortable until I get back."

"Okay." Brennan let Booth help her off the floor and into a lawn chair.

Two hours later Booth and Brennan were laying on their new air mattress enjoying cookies and milk.


	190. Chapter 190 Ride

Today was a big day for Max, he was eligible to get his driver's license. As a house rule in the Booth household in order to get it and keep it he had to have at least a B in every class. Booth carefully looked at Max's progress report "Dad, mom, I know I got a C in math, but you both know how hard the class is for me and how hard I work at it."

"We know how hard you work at math, Max and we're extremely proud of you and your efforts. Mom and I decided to make an exception to our all B's rule: as long as you earn a B in your other 5 classes you can get and keep your driver's license with a C in math."

"Cool."

"Not so fast, bud. We want you to get a high C, the one you've received on this progress report is one point away from a D. Your dad and I will not accept that, sorry sweetheart."

Max looked at his shoes, Brennan put a finger under his chin and tipped his head up so he was looking at her. "If your dad and I didn't know you can do better we would accept a 70%. You only have to get it to a 74%. You have 5 weeks until the end of the semester, you can do it, Max. Christine said she can come home this weekend if you want her to help you."

"Okay. Dad can you give me a ride to school instead of mom until I get it?"

"Sure, buddy."

Five and a half weeks later Booth handed Max his keys when he picked him up from school, "Mom got your report card this morning, you did it, buddy you got a 74%. Now as long as you keep it up you get to drive. Let's go to the DMV and if you pass you can drop me off at home and take my car for the night."

"Okay."

Two hours later Booth waved to Max as he pulled out of the driveway.


	191. Chapter 191 Treatment

Booth picked up the kids from school and headed home, Brennan pulled in behind him a few minutes later. "Hey Bones." Booth leaned over to kiss Brennan, sidestepped to avoid him and headed to her office. "Bones, what do you want for dinner?" Brennan smiled a little and looked at Christine, "Christine what would you like for dinner?"

"Spaghetti." Brennan nodded and went to her office.

"Spaghetti it is then." Booth started pulling ingredients off the shelves. "Dad is mom mad at you? She didn't say anything when you were talking to her."

"Your mom is upset over something that happened at work and is giving me the silent treatment because she thinks it's my fault…"

"Was it?"

"Not entirely. We'll talk tonight and everything will be fine in the morning, don't worry. Set the table please."

"Okay."

Brennan was silent towards Booth during dinner then she busied herself with clean up and helping with homework before she retreated to her office. After the kids were in bed Booth went into her office and stood by the desk. "Bones, you knew that when I took the Assistant Deputy Director Job, a new agent would be assigned to the lab…"

Brennan didn't look up from her computer, "I know…"

"You also said you were fine with that…"

"I am…"

Booth smiled and coughed to hide a chuckle, "then why did you call me and loudly voice your displeasure over Agent Williamson being assigned to the lab?"

"Because I was prepared for Aubrey to be assigned to us, not someone else. You could have called and told me he wasn't assigned to us."

'I didn't know he wasn't assigned to you until you called and yelled at me for not telling you that Williamson was working with you now…"

"I'm sorry, I'm having a harder time not working with you than I thought I would."

"It's okay Bones. It took us a while to get used to working together, it's going to take us a while to get use to not working together."

"Yeah, I don't like it…"

"Me either. Do you want me to see if I can get Aubrey reassigned to the lab?'

"Yes…"

"Silent treatment over?"

"Silent treatment over." This time when Booth leaned over to kiss Brennan she accepted the kiss.

A/N: Booth was offered the Assistant Deputy Director Job in chapter 61 plunge…


	192. Chapter 192 Hallucinate

Parker was in the checkout line at the grocery store when his phone rang, "hi Bones."

"Hey Parker, can your brother and sisters stay with you for the weekend? Your dad threw his back out and the pain medication and muscle relaxers are making him hallucinate. It's pretty out there he feels like he's going to fall out of the recliner… The kids are scared. "

"Sure let me finish getting groceries and checkout. See you in about an hour."

"That's fine." Parker got out of line and got another half-gallon of milk, a couple boxes of cereal, frozen waffles, pasta and pizza making supplies and fruit. An hour later Parker was holding Gracie, "Daddy says the chair is friendly again and there are clowns on the walls in the kitchen…" Parker bit his lip to keep from laughing as he rubbed Gracie's back. "I know. Daddy isn't feeling too good right now, that's why you, Max, and Christine are going to come spend the weekend at my apartment. Mommy is going to take care of daddy while we have a lot of fun making pizza, watching movies and going to the zoo. Then Sunday night when I bring you back home daddy will be feeling better."

"Okay. Can we call daddy later and say goodnight?"

"Yeah. Go get your stuff so we can make pizza, I'm starving."

"Mommy says you can't starve unless you haven't had food in a really long time…"

Parker laughed, "Mommy is right. Hurry up though because I'm really, really hungry."

"Okay." Later after making their pizzas and watching movies in a blanket fort in the living room, Parker dialed Brennan and gave the phone to Gracie, "Mommy, can we tell daddy goodnight?"

"Daddy is sleeping right now sweetheart, but I'll tell him you called. If he feels better in the morning I'll have him call you while you are having breakfast."

"Okay." I love you, mommy."

"I love you too, Gracie. Goodnight."

After Brennan told Max, Christine, and Parker good night. All four kids got ready to sleep in the blanket fort.

Sunday when Parker brought the kids home Booth was still in pain, but his hallucinations had stopped.


	193. Chapter 193 Companion

A few months after Booth passed away the kids convinced Brennan to get a pet as a new companion. She and some of their grandkids went to the pound and found a medium size two year old mixed breed named Sparky. Six years later the four Booth kids stood in the kitchen of their childhood home. "I talked to mom yesterday, we were going to go to the book festival today… she seemed fine…."

"I know Christine. She's with dad and truly happy again… you know, Sparky is what kept her going these last six years… if she'd had gone first I really don't think dad would have made it 24 hours…" at hearing his name Sparky got up and went over to Parker.

"Yeah… Speaking of Sparky who's going to take him? I would if Daniel wasn't allergic…Gracie?"

"I can't I'm not home enough with my ballet performance schedule to water a plant let alone take care of a dog…Max?"

"My condo doesn't allow pets…Parker?"

Parker sighed, "Addi said no more dogs, but since he is moms hopefully she'll make an exception. Somebody help me find all of his toys, the basket is empty. Somebody needs to clean out the fridge. The rest can wait until after the funeral…"

"I'll do it." Max went to the refrigerator and opened it. "I wonder how old this macaroni and cheese is?"

"She made it yesterday when Ryan came over to mow. She went to the store the day before so everything in there should be good."

"Cool! I'm taking it all with me."

Christine shook her head, "Wait, Max how much macaroni and cheese is left?"

"Almost the whole pan…"

"Why don't we have one last dinner here tonight, just the four of us?"

"Fine with me."

"Me too.

"Me three… and maybe spend the night. I know the sheets are clean on all of our beds, she still washed them every Sunday… and watch a movie in Dad's man cave…"

"Gracie, set the table…."

"I was the last kid in the house so it's your turn."

"Fine. Make a salad or some veggie to go with the macaroni…"

"Broccoli, green beans or salad?"

"All of the above? Mom has all of it."

"Fine with me. Check if theirs's garlic bread in the freezer."

Max opened the freezer, "We have garlic bread. I also found coconut and vanilla ice cream and brownies."

"Score… throw the brownies in the oven with the bread and the macaroni."

Thirty minutes later dinner was ready and the kids sat down, leaving Booth and Brennan's places empty. "This feels weird, but it's nice too."

"Yeah…" After dinner they went into Booth's man cave to watch a movie. Gracie went to the ottoman were Booth used to hide their snacks and opened it and moved the blankets to the side. "There is still stuff in here. I hope it's not leftover from our last movie night with dad when we were kids…"

"it's not. Mom stocked it for when the kids came over for sleepovers. She was planning one for Jennifer and Katelyn next week…"

"I didn't think mom knew about the stash. "

"She did, you ratted dad out to her when you were three. She let him keep it though…"

"Well I'm raiding it…."


	194. Chapter 194 Brick

Booth sighed as he stacked the box on top of the ones he'd already carried inside the third floor apartment. What do you have in here Gracie? Bricks?"

Gracie looked over at the box. "CDs. There are five more just like it. Plus four boxes of DVDs…"

"Why can't you be like every other young adult I know and get one of those iPod things for your music and stream movies on your computer?"

"I have an IPod and I do stream movies, but I like CDs and DVDs better." Booth shook his head and plopped down in the lawn chair that was serving as living room furniture for the time being. "Dad, you didn't have to help me move, I could have gotten movers."

"I helped your brothers and sister move into their first apartments after college."

"Yeah, but you weren't as old then as you are now."

"Watch it little girl. That was the end of the big essential stuff what do you say we call it a day and get some food and call your mother? We can get the rest tomorrow, you can carry your CDs and DVDs up."

"Fine with me. What are you in the mood for?"

"Chinese."

"Do you want to go out and eat it or get it delivered?"

"Delivery sounds good to me." 


	195. Chapter 195 Apparition

It had only been a few weeks since Booth passed away and Christine was helping Brennan get things taken care of. They'd just returned from grocery shopping and were putting everything away when one of the bags fell off the counter. "Ever since your father has been gone things have mysteriously started falling or moving from where I placed them."

"Maybe it's dad's ghost."

"Christine be reasonable! I don't believe in apparitions."

"I know, but dad did and he said he'd never leave you. Maybe he hasn't."

"Christine, go put the corn in the freezer in the garage, please." Christine took the bag of corn and headed for the door. She hid a smile when she heard Brennan mumble, "Booth, knock it off!"


	196. Chapter 196 Memory

"Bones, are you sure you don't want any pie?" Booth looked up from the slice of apple pie he just put on his plate.

"I'm sure Booth. In the twenty four years you've known me I've never eaten pie that contained cooked fruit."

"Not true you had some that one weekend Christine and Max were at your dad's and we didn't leave the bedroom until an hour before he was going to bring them home…. The weekend Gracie was likely conceived…"

Brennan smiled, "I remember that weekend very well, but have no memory of eating pie with cooked fruit in it that weekend or any other, sorry."

"Well you ate some that weekend and loved it. Are you don't want to try a bite and see if it jogs your memory?"

"I'm sure Booth, but hurry up and eat so we can go do some of the things I do remember from that weekend…"


	197. Chapter 197 Slick

Booth and Brennan were getting ready to leave a crime scene, "Be careful, Bones, the sidewalk is very slick. If this keeps up I doubt there will be school tomorrow."

Brennan was about to replay when she went down on a patch of ice.

"BONES! Are you okay?" Booth rushed to the other side of the SUV.

"No my arm is broken, it's not a compound fracture and I shouldn't need surgery. Also I think my elbow is dislocated."

Booth swore under his breath, "I have to call it in Bones since technically you were injured while preforming your duties as contracted out by the FBI…"

Brennan looked up. "Do you think you can help me up first? The ice is very cold and very wet."

"Yeah." Booth opened the door of the SUV then very carefully picked Brennan up and sat her inside. "Booth, you didn't have to pick me up and put me in the car. I just needed help standing up..."

Booth smiled a little," I know, but I wanted to. Thank you for letting me and not worrying about my back…"

Brennan smiled, "you're welcome." After Booth called it in and battled with dispatch about not sending an ambulance they were on their way to the emergency room. Four hours later Brennan was home and sporting a blue cast that went to her shoulder. "Do you need anything, Bones?"

"No, I'm going to take a nap though the sedative they gave me when the popped my elbow back into place has made me very sleepy."

"Okay, have a good nap, Bones." Booth carefully tucked the blankets around her and kissed her forehead as she fell asleep. At little bit later Brennan was awake and patiently letting all the kids draw on her cast.


	198. Chapter 198 Smell

BBooth and Brennan were having Parker, Adison, Matthew, Max and Christine and her husband, Stephen over for an early Saturday lunch before they all went to see Gracie's first professional ballet recital. Christine and Stephen where the first to arrive. Christine walked over to Booth and gave him a hug before doing the same with Brennan. "Mom, what's that smell? It's disgusting!"

"I made eggplant parmesan and your dad made chick-"

Christine turned and quickly headed for the bathroom. Brennan looked at Stephen, he smiled, "I'm not supposed to say anything Christine wants to wait until everyone is here, but I think you can figure it out…"

"I can… and the smell of chicken is bothersome…"

"Actually the smell of any meat cooking bothers her, but she can usually eat it after it's cooked."

"Ah, I completely understand. I'm going to finish dinner. A half hour later once everyone was sitting around the table, Christine looked at Brennan then Booth. "Mom, dad, you're going to be grandparents at the end of May."

Booth stood up and went around the table and hugged Christine, "that's great, sweetheart. Congratulations."

"Thanks, daddy." Brennan stood up and hugged Christine, "Congratulations Christine. If you need any help at any time with anything call me."

"I will. Thanks, mom."

"Congrats guys."

"Thanks, Max."

"Congrats you two. If it's a boy we have a ton of clothes and things you can have."

"Thanks, Adi."

"You're welcome."

At 7:30 in the morning on May 19th Booth and Brennan got a text from Christine with a picture of Stephen holding a sleeping baby, with the caption

'Hey mom, dad meet Ryan 7lb 5oz born at 5:15am. Everybody is tired but doing good. Come visit us later…

"Aw Bones Ryan looks a lot like Christine."

"I have to agree, but I see Stephen in him too. He's an adorable baby."

"Yes, he is. I can't wait until we can see him."

"Me either."

Later that day Booth gently knocked on the door of Christine's room, "Come in."

The door opened and Brennan stepped through followed by Booth. "Hi mom. Hi dad." Christine was sitting on the edge of the bed watching Ryan sleep

"Hi sweetheart are you doing okay?"

"Yeah, I'm sore and tired but other than that I'm fine. I just changed Ryan if you want to hold him." Brennan smiled and walked over to the baby and picked him up. Ryan whimpered at the change in position.

"He doesn't like being disturbed when he's sleeping, just like his dad…"

"Where is Stephen?"

"I sent him home to sleep. He's been up since 5am yesterday. He was trying to sleep here, but every time Ryan or I would move or make a sound he was up checking on us."

"Your dad was the same way with the three of you for the first month or so…"

"Hey! I'm standing right here!"

Brennan smiled and walked over to Booth and kissed his cheek. "I thought it was annoyingly sweet. Hold your grandson." Booth smiled and looked down at the baby, "hi, buddy I'm your grandpa. You look so much like your mom did when she was born."

"You think so? I see Stephen in him, but I don't see me."

"I see more of you than I do Stephen…"

"He has Stephen's chin and ears…

"Yeah what your mom said…"

Christine laughed and watched Booth and Brennan with their new grandson.


	199. Chapter 199 Sleep

A/N: The last five words are 'writer's choice'. This one is part of Max's punishment in weapon.

Today was Max's first day of suspension. Brennan set her alarm for 4:30, to give her an hour to get ready before she had to get Max up. He wasn't a morning person and he getting an hour less sleep than his siblings probably wasn't going to go well. At 5:30 Brennan went in Max's room and watched him sleep for a minute before she started waking him up.

"Max it's time to get up. "

Max rolled over and pulled on his blanket before mumbling, "No."

Brennan smiled, "I know it's early and you're tired, but you need to get up now before you risk dad adding to your punishment…"

Max continued to sleep…

"MAX IF YOU'RE NOT ON YOUR WAY TO THE SHOWER IN THE NEXT THIRTY SECONDS I'LL ADD MOWING THE LAWN WITH THE PUSH MOWER TO YOUR LIST OF CHORES!" Brennan looked back to see Booth standing in the hall.

"Fine." Max got up and shuffled to the shower. By 6:15 Max was in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal.

When Booth came to the lab around noon to get Brennan and Max for lunch he stood at her office door way and watched, Brennan was sitting on her couch reading a file running her fingers through Max's hair as he slept beside her, his head in her lap. "Hey, Bones." Brennan looked up. "Hey Booth. Max did most of his English and Science homework. He also organized my supply cabinet. When he got done running some files to the administration wing for Cam he came over here and fell asleep. He didn't sleep well last night; when I got up at midnight he was still awake."

"I feel bad that he's here and not in school and that he's tired, but that's part of his punishment. How about I go get lunch and bring it back here?"

"I think I can get up with your help without waking him. If I can we'll go to lunch and let him sleep."

"Okay."

An hour later Booth sat Max's lunch on the coffee table and gently woke him up. "Hey, bud wake up mom and I brought you lunch."

"Dad?"

"Yeah. Did you enjoy your nap?"

"Yeah."

"That's good. Sit up and eat. When you're done mom has some stuff for you to take to the antiquities department."

"Okay." Max sat up and opened the bag, pulling out a cheeseburger.


	200. Chapter 200 Birthday

A/N: This one is part of Max's punishment in weapon.

Today was Max's fourteenth birthday, he was also two weeks into his punishment for bringing his Swiss Army knife to school. Booth and Brennan made a big deal out of the kids' birthdays because they had crappy birthdays as kids. After everybody was in bed Booth and Brennan hung streamers and balloons all over the living room and dining room. They also hung a happy birthday banner on the wall behind Max's chair. At 5:30 the next morning Brennan went to  
Max's room to wake him up.

"Max, it's time to get up." Max rolled over. "Dad's making you birthday pancakes, if you don't get up he'll eat them all…"

"I'm up." Brennan laughed and kissed Max's forehead. "Happy Birthday, Max!"

"Yeah, thanks, Mom."

"We'll have a small party tonight when we get home. Maybe after you complete your punishment we'll have the rock climbing party we'd planned."

"Okay. Later that night after they'd had tacos and cake Max opened the computer game and a few other small gifts. After playing scrabble and winning Max went to his room. Booth knocked on his door a few minutes later. "Max, you can keep your presents and balloons in your room."

"Okay."

"Did you have a good birthday?"

"I guess."

"Max I know you're disappointed about not having the rock climbing party with your friends that we'd planned. Honestly you don't deserve that party right now."

"I know, I didn't think I'd get in trouble for just taking it to school."

"I know, that's why if you behave, finish your punishment without complaint, keep your grades up and don't pick on your sisters for another four months mom and I will think about letting you have the party for your half birthday…"

"Okay. "


	201. Chapter 201 Written

AA/N: some of you wanted to know what Brennan wrote in the book she signed for Aubrey in chapter 120, threat…Here ya go…

It had been a long day for Aubrey, he and Booth had been out questioning a suspect when the guy flipped out and got the drop on them. Landing them both in the emergency room in need of stitches and ice packs. Neither of their wounds were serious and they'd have some cool scars to show for it. Sighing Aubrey went over to his book case and picked up Brennan's book she'd signed for him a few months ago. Book in hand he made his way to the couch and sat down, opening the cover. His eyes fell on what Brennan had written:

James-

I've enjoyed working with you these last three years. When you're out in the field with Booth I don't worry as much because I know you will do whatever needs to be done to keep him from harm. I thank you for that. I hope you enjoy the book.

Dr. Temperance Brennan

Aubrey chuckled, "I try Dr. B, but days like today we both needed SWAT gear…" he turned the page and started reading.


	202. Chapter 202 Call

Booth peeked in Christine's room surprised to find the little girl still awake.

"Christine, why aren't you asleep?"

"I miss mommy…"

Booth smiled as he sat on the edge of the bed. "I miss her too. She and your little brother should be home tomorrow by the time you get home from school."

"Can we call her and make sure?"

"Hang on, I'll be right back."

"Okay." Booth hurried across the hall to his bedroom and dialed Brennan, she answered on the first ring.

"Bones I didn't wake you up did I?"

"No Booth. I was up feeding Max besides it's only a little after 10…"

"Yeah, but you only had a baby 11 hours ago…"

"I know…"

"Can you talk to Christine? She misses you this is the first time you've been away from her overnight that she remembers anyway."

"Of course."

Booth went to Christine's room and gave her the phone. "It's mommy..."

As Booth was listening to Christine and Brennan talk he started running his fingers through her hair the way he'd seen Brennan do when she couldn't sleep. Five minutes later Booth's phone hit the mattress, he picked it up and quietly left the room.

"She's asleep, Bones."

"I myself am a little sleepy now."

"Do you want me to bring you anything in the morning?"

"A blueberry muffin."

"Got it. Get some sleep. I love you."

"I love you too, Booth."


	203. Chapter 203 Home

Christine walked past her guest room and stopped, Booth was inside packing. "Dad, what are you doing?"

"I'm packing to go home."

"Why? The only reason mom didn't cancel her book tour was because I said you could stay here and rest and recover."

"Christine, you had five kids in six and a half years… your house is anything but restful. I'll be fine at home."

"Dad you were in the hospital for a week and a half…"

"I know… it was just a reaction to the medication I was taking to clear up my poison ivy."

"It was a really bad, dad…"

"I know. if I wasn't okay the doctors wouldn't have let me go home…" out in the hallway 2 year old Stephen Junior ran by with nothing on, Christine shook her head

"How about I go home with you and stay there until mom gets home?"

"You have thirty minutes to pack. If your house burns down because you left Stephen and the kids unsupervised too long you're not moving in with me and your mother..."

Christine laughed, "Okay."

Two hours later Christine sent Brennan a picture of Booth sound asleep in his recliner.

A/N: There you have it all 200 hundred words (plus 2 bonus chapters after the first one hundred) in last summer's Bonesology hiatus challenge. I'd hoped to have these done by Thursday, but I had to do some adult-ing first lol. I hope everyone had fun reading these, I had fun writing them.


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